Longtime West Mt. Airy resident Sadie Elva Marie Spencer Torrence, an entrepreneur, mentor, loving mother and devout Christian, died April 10 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania of age-related causes. She was 83. A memorial service was held April 17 at Salem Baptist Church in Abington.
Torrence’s only child, Robin, told the Local, “My mother’s faith was the foundation of her life. She loved the Lord deeply, and that love shone through in the way she treated others — with grace, compassion and kindness. She believed in treating people the way she wanted to be treated, and she lived that principle every day.
“She also had a special love for animals, showing the same tenderness and affection to her pets as she did to people. Everything she did reflected her nurturing spirit. She was a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan and cheered for them enthusiastically during every game.
“Though she is no longer with us, the legacy of her love remains — in the friendships she built, the lives she touched and the family she cherished so deeply. She will always be remembered as a woman of warmth, faith and unwavering kindness.”
Dr. Monica J. Taylor, a long-time friend, told the Local, “Mom Sadie, as we affectionately called her, opened her heart and her home to all of her daughter’s friends. She consistently offered encouragement, guidance and warm hospitality. Her spirit left a lasting impression on all who had the privilege of knowing her.”
Torrence was the beloved daughter of Melvin Dewey Spencer and Fannie Washington Greenhill Spencer. According to friends, she was “shaped from her earliest years by a spirit of hard work, grace and an abiding faith in God.”
As a young woman, she spent her summers in Atlantic City, where her family had a vacation home. It was there, working as a waitress at a restaurant called The Johnsons, that she formed one of her most treasured friendships with Marva Calloway. They shared the same birthday and remained the dearest of friends until Calloway’s death last spring.
During her younger years, Torrence studied dance under Marion Cuyjet (1920-1996), a pioneer in classical ballet training among Black Philadelphians, and was among the select few chosen for the highest level of performance — sharing a dance class with the legendary Judith Jamison, a memory she cherished and spoke of fondly throughout her life. (Prior to the civil rights movement, African American dance students were not allowed to join classical ballet classes in Philadelphia.)
Torrence graduated from West Philadelphia High School and Virginia Union University, where she met lifelong friends Norita Payne, Penny Goldsborough and Constance Smith.
Following the birth of her daughter, Robin, Torrence lived in Atlantic City, where she served as a fifth grade teacher at the Holy Cross Catholic School. When Robin was 5 years old, the family relocated to Philadelphia, where Torrence joined the Model Cities Community Program, serving with distinction for approximately five years. She then became the first Black female sales representative for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, a position she held from 1974 to 1980. In 1980, she returned to Atlantic City to serve as room service manager in the food and beverage department at the Tropicana Casino.
In 1981, she opened Sadie’s Country and Gourmet Cuisine Catering Services, which she ran for almost 40 years. During the pandemic she launched “Sadie’s Dinners to Go,” providing fine food until November 2025.
Over the years, she catered events for an array of Philadelphia’s most prominent political leaders, including Mayor John Street, Mayor Michael Nutter, Congressman Dwight Evans and Councilwoman Marion Tasco. She met Philadelphia’s 100th Mayor Cherelle L. Parker when Parker was 17 years old.
Torrence’s gifts extended far beyond the kitchen. She was a talented seamstress who created wedding gowns, prom dresses and formal attire for events such as Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.’s Black and White Ball. She was also a committed mentor, employing over 40 people throughout her catering career and proving instrumental in guiding several people of color toward their own entrepreneurial paths.
It was not wise to disturb Torrence between 7 and 8 p.m. on weeknights because she was a devoted viewer of “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune.” She was also an ardent animal lover whose furry companions — Samantha, Mister, Que, Duchess and Mittens — brought her endless joy and delight.
Torrence is survived by her daughter, Robin, who said she “finds comfort in knowing that my mother is now at rest, free from pain and rejoicing in the presence of the God she served so faithfully all her days.”
She is also survived by her nephew, Mark Z. Spencer (Raquel); nieces Jenæ Willingham and Taylor Smith; nephew Mark E. Spencer; “special son” Tyrone Tucker; and other extended family members, friends and West Mt. Airy neighbors.
Torrence was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Melvin Dewey Spencer and Fannie Washington Greenhill Spencer, and by her brothers, Melvin Dewey Spencer and Edward Ronald Spencer.
Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com.
