Born in Denver, Colorado, Spence graduated from
South Denver High School, She attended
Colorado State University from 1955 to 1956. have four children: Chris, Kathy, Greg and Meg, During her three terms, she sat on the House Education Committee, serving as chairman during her last two terms. She also sat on the House Judiciary Committee and House Appropriations Committee during her first term, the House Criminal Justice Committee during her second term, and the House Transportation and Energy Committee during her third term. Spence was elected to the
Colorado State Senate in 2004; there, she serves on the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Transportation Committee. In 2007, she was elected Senate Assistant Minority Leader; as such, she is also a member of the Legislative Council. Spence has been named a "Legislator of the Year" by several organizations, including the
American Heart Association in 1999, the Colorado Association of Community Centered Boards in 2001, and the Colorado Alliance for Reform in Education in 2004. ==References==