A bittersweet celebration on murder victim's birthday

In the photos, John Spoors is forever immortalized as that feather-haired playboy with his whole life ahead of him.

A victim of random violence, the 23-year-old Addison carpenter died nearly three decades ago during a more innocent time.

His large, close-knit family moved away years ago. Still, dozens of people joined his mother and siblings who returned Tuesday to their hometown to celebrate what would have been the slain man's 50th birthday.

Many in the crowd of 75 said they hadn't seen each other in years. Their faces had aged, but the memories and all that "Spree," as they called him, meant to them remains constant.

"I think his death taught us that life is precious," said Annamarie Saraceno, a former girlfriend, during a memorial service at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Addison. "We learned if you are angry, call and make up. Don't be a stranger because life can change forever in an instant."

Earlier that day, his 70-year-old mother, Eleanor, and siblings laid yellow flowers at his gravesite in Hillside and wished him a happy birthday.

He was the oldest of six children in an Irish-Italian Catholic family. Spoors was gunned down Aug. 26, 1981, in the parking lot of a local pancake house, after another motorist opened fire after a minor traffic dispute.

His father went to his grave a few years ago longing for justice for his slain son. Then, nearly 27 years after the tragedy, police arrested a long-sought suspect Jan. 8 in Mexico, where the man is believed to have fled after the fatal confrontation. Authorities are awaiting his extradition, possibly this summer, back to the United States to face murder charges.

At Tuesday's memorial service, brothers Michael and Robert Spoors greeted old friends, many of whom also traveled far to be there.

At the front of the altar, large poster boards filled with John's photos and newspaper clippings about a recent break in the murder investigation were on display.

A family friend, Cathy Granrath-Maropoulos, sang "Amazing Grace."

"We are here to celebrate a life," the Rev. Mark Jendrysik said. "A life that was taken from us. A life that has given back to us and continues to touch us still to this day."

Melody Spoors smiled through tears while recalling the sight of her older playboy brother riding around town in his beloved blue van. Later, as they met at Antipasto for dinner, the celebratory crowd sliced a birthday cake for John that was decorated with that image.

"This was the right time to do it," said Robert Spoors, a brother. "It's his 50th birthday. We just got the good news (about an arrest). He's in heaven looking down on us, and he's among us, too."

On the day of John Spoors' funeral, a poem Saraceno wrote for him was published in the local newspaper. At the memorial service, Saraceno read the words she had penned so long ago.

"Though he didn't stay long, he touched our hearts with his laugh and his love.

I'll remember his kindness, his softness. He'll watch us do what he did -- from above.

He lived in the fast lane for the time he was given, most guys really envied his kind of livin'. The discos, the bars, the corner where we knew he would be …

The girls wanting his attention, thinking: "I know he digs only me!"

And the man and his van passes by, in our minds, in our thoughts, as we cry. And then we stop to ask ourselves, why?

Oh God, how we really did love you Spree, now your spirit shall always run free."

Added his mother, Eleanor: "He had a wonderful life. Everyone loved Johnny."

And they still do.