In the days after Dr. Danielle Spencer’s passing at 60, Richmond drivers kept spotting a familiar face glowing above the morning traffic. Digital billboards across the metro quietly rotated a simple tribute to the actress so many Gen Xers grew up with as “Dee” on What’s Happening!!, and to the local veterinarian so many came to know in exam rooms and neighborhood events. It felt less like an ad and more like a communal nod. People tapped their brakes, took photos, and sent them to friends who once rushed home to watch Thursday-night reruns. For a few beats, the commute became a remembrance.
The company that owns the screens placed the tributes as a courtesy and asked not to be publicly identified. Spencer’s brother, jazz musician Jeremy Pelt, amplified the moment by sharing images and thanks on social media, calling the displays a blessing and confirming that multiple boards were running in the Richmond area. His note has circulated widely among fans who wanted to know where the images were appearing and how long they might run.
Out-of-home memorials resonate here because they meet people where they live, drive, and remember. Richmond is a commuting city, and digital billboard rotations make brief, repeat encounters possible throughout the day. Industry guidance notes that creative typically displays in static slots that change every six to eight seconds, which is why sightings can vary by hour, route, and rotation. Even with that brevity, the effect can be disarming when the face is one you grew up with and later came to know as a neighbor and caregiver.
The mourning has been both national and local. National outlets confirmed her death in a Richmond hospital after a years-long cancer illness, while Richmond-area followers have traded stories about the quick wit that made Dee unforgettable and the gentleness that made Dr. Spencer a trusted clinician. Pelt’s posts captured that duality, describing a sister whose optimism held through the hard days.
For those asking how to pay respects, the family has planned a private funeral that is not open to the public. Fans can still be present in spirit. March Funeral Homes has scheduled a memorial service with live streaming on Wednesday, August 20, at 10:30 a.m. at March Funeral Home–West, 4300 Wabash Avenue in Baltimore. The funeral home is also accepting flower deliveries at March Funeral Home’s Laburnum Chapel in Richmond from noon to 4 p.m. on the same day. If you plan to join virtually or send flowers, start with March’s listings for the latest details and the streaming link since those pages are updated first.
Many readers have asked about contributions that reflect who she was. If you wish to honor Dr. Spencer’s love for animals, consider a gift to the Richmond SPCA. The organization provides lifesaving sheltering, veterinary care, and adoption services in the city she served. You can donate online or by mail through the SPCA’s giving page.
What the billboards captured, even in a few seconds at a time, is the way one life can live in two timelines at once. There is the cultural memory of a wisecracking kid sister who made a generation laugh. There is the quieter local memory of a doctor in a white coat who knelt to calm a nervous dog and remembered the names of your children. Thousands of Richmonders saw those images and recognized both. On the road to work and back again, they looked up and said thank you.
Service and memorial references for fans
• Memorial service with live stream: Wednesday, August 20, 10:30 a.m., March Funeral Home–West, 4300 Wabash Ave., Baltimore. March Funeral Homes – Laburnum Chapel
• Flower deliveries accepted: Wednesday, August 20, noon to 4 p.m., March Funeral Home–Laburnum Chapel, 2110 E. Laburnum Ave., Richmond. March Funeral Homes – Laburnum Chapel
• Donate in her honor: Richmond SPCA giving options and address. Richmond SPCA
Danielle is survived by her brother, musician Jeremy Pelt, and her mother, Cheryl Pelt.
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