Wes SPIKER

August 26, 1954 - April 9, 2025

Missoula - Wes was born in Dover, Ohio, where he grew up playing Little League baseball and competitively swimming on the YMCA swim teams, all the while riding his bike to and from practices and games. His family moved to the Spokane Valley when he was 16, where he graduated from East Valley High School. While at East Valley, he played baseball and was the sportswriter for the school newspaper.

He met Chris Riley on a blind double-date, and they married in 1974.

After high school graduation, he attended Eastern Washington State College (University) majoring in marketing and graduating in three years. During Expo '74 in Spokane, he worked events on Canada Island and the Pavilion doing event production, all the while running a lawncare business with two friends. After Expo, he worked in radio sales in Spokane. But, he really, really wanted to further himself in the advertising business, so he and Chris moved to Los Angeles where their two kids (Jessica and Jared) were born. There he worked for Young and Rubicam, at the time the largest advertising agency in the world, where his clients included Gallo Wine (the largest advertiser), Clorox Foods, and many others, one of which was a log home company located in Hamilton, Montana. His job at Y&R brought him great advertising skills and know-how along with many, many friends. After three years, Wes and Chris were lured to Montana, by Rocky Mountain Log Homes.

Wes and Chris started Spiker Communications in Missoula in 1984. There were many adventures and good times with their clients from around the U.S. and the world, some of whom became long-time friends. Throughout his career, he built a remarkable portfolio, working with a diverse range of clients from Montana and around the globe, including such notable names as The North Face, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Big Sky Ski Resort, Snowbowl, Stockman Bank, Stock Farm Club, Montana Power Company, Trump Bedminster, TEVA, Pioneer Log Homes, and many others. A visionary in the advertising world, he also played a pivotal role in launching the careers of numerous local advertising professionals. Wes and Chris sold the agency and retired in 2023.

Along with his kids and his grandgirlies, Wes's passion was fly-fishing. Many of those adventures were in the Alaska wilds; Patagonia Argentina; Patagonia Chile; Tierra del Fuego; Kamchatka, Russia; and of course, the beautiful waters of Montana. He enjoyed downhill skiing, until one crash tweaked his knee. Later in life, he took up golf with his pal, Casey. Golf was not a passion, but he gave it a good go and would not give up.

Wes was involved in many organizations in Montana. He was on the Loyola Sacred Heart Foundation Board; the Missoula YMCA Board; The Stock Farm Greater Ravalli Foundation Board; and was a founding member of the Playball Missoula Board that built the baseball stadium in Missoula. His great joy and proudest moments were coaching Little League baseball and softball (t-ball through seniors) for both of his kids; and being a YMCA girls basketball coach with Mark Bryant. Wes and Chris founded the girls' softball and boys' tennis programs at Loyola Sacred Heart High School, as well as the womens' softball program at Whitworth College (University).

Surviving are his wife of 51 years, Chris; his daughter, Jessica Domitrovich (Christopher and grandgirlies, Sophia and Scarlett); his son, Jared (Lily and grandgirlies, Ellionna and Olivia); his mom, Carlyn Quinton of Coeur d'Alene; his brothers, Wyatt Spiker and Wayde Spiker of Coeur d'Alene (three nephews and their families); uncle, Jeff Cleveland and family of Michigan; and cousins in Ohio and South Carolina.

No services are planned. Flowers are wonderful and beautiful, but donations may be made in his name to the Humane Society of Western Montana, at 5930 Highway 93 S., Missoula, MT 59804, or online at myhswm.org.