"A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again."
- Maya Angelou
Gone but not forgotten
It’s with a heavy heart that we share the news that we lost our friend and Jackson Hole Fly Fishing School (JHFFS) founder, John Spencer Morton. Spencer died of heart complications here in Jackson Hole on May 10, 2021.
Spencer didn’t necessarily like the limelight but found himself there often. Driven by a competitive spirit, he could do anything — fly fishing and hockey were just the sports he did and loved the most. In the words of a good friend, “Spencer was the humblest show pony you’ve ever met.” He had the kind of humility that ran from the inside out. His skill went beyond instinct or technique. For Spencer it was about chasing perfection, knowing the chase is really what it’s all about. He had focus, drive, and a gentle way of kindness. Spencer made friends everywhere he went. To know him was to love him.
What Spencer’s many accolades as an angler won’t tell you is the love he put into this school. His love will live on through everything we do. JHFFS will stay its course, and we’ll continue to find ourselves gathering at the Schoolhouse on the Snake. We will continue to guide and cast the vision of JHFFS. And with more focus than ever, we will carry on Spencer’s legacy for our Jackson Hole community. See you on the Snake.
“There is certainly something in angling that tends to produce a serenity of mind.” – Washington Irving
