Dr. J. Donald McPike Jr.

1940 - 2022

Dr. J. Donald McPike, Jr.

November 11, 1940-May 10, 2022

Dr. J. Donald McPike, Jr. passed away on May 10, 2022 with family members at his side. He was born on November 11, 1940 at Hershey Hospital in Muscatine, Iowa, the son of Dr. and Mrs. J. Donald McPike, Sr. He was a resident of Albany, California.

Dr. McPike attended public schools in Muscatine and graduated from Muscatine High School in 1958. He was on the first MHS wrestling team and won the conference championship at 95 pounds in 1956. He was a member of Boy Scout Troop127 and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended three Boy Scout Jamborees, including the World Jamboree in Great Britain in 1957.

Dr. McPike attended Northwestern University and graduated with distinction with a degree in chemistry. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma social fraternity. He attended the University of Iowa College of Medicine and graduated in 1966. He was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society.

In 1967 he completed a rotating internship at Denver General Hospital and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the United States Naval Reserve. He attended naval flight surgeon training at NAMI in Pensacola, Florida, receiving his wings and designation as a US Naval Flight Surgeon in December, 1967. His naval deployments included Vietnam, Okinawa and the Philippine Islands.

Prior to returning to the University of Iowa in April, 1971 for a residency in radiology, he volunteered for six months in Alpine, Tennessee as a doctor for the nonprofit medical organization, Project Concern. He completed his radiology residency in 1974 and became a Board Certified Radiologist. During his career he practiced in both the private sector and in the government sector with the US Navy and Veterans Administration. He attained the rank of Commander in the US Navy and completely retired in December, 2009.

Don enjoyed running and bicycling, logging more than 162,000 miles jogging and 185,000 miles riding his bicycle during his lifetime.

He is survived by his special friend, Sarah Harper of San Francisco, California, his daughter, Sidonie Harper McPike of Portland Oregon, his brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Carol McPike of Boerne, Texas, two nephews, Richard Kirk McPike of Alexandria, Virginia and Erik Coston McPike of Dallas, Texas and two first cousins, Susan Holland of Waterloo, Iowa and Kathryn Fallon of Largo, Florida. He was preceded in death by his parents.

There will be a memorial service in Muscatine, Iowa at a later date to be determined. The family requests that memorials be made to the University of Iowa College of Medicine, the University of Iowa Wrestling Program, or any other charity of choice.