Donald A. Spiker

SPIKER DONALD AXE SPIKER April 14, 1924 - Jan 15, 2010 Resident of Walnut Creek, Don Spiker passed away peacefully and quickly surrounded by loved ones after a long illness at the Bruns House in Alamo on Thursday, January 15, 2010. Born in Washington D.C., he grew up playing the trombone, played professionally from 1939-1955, playing with the likes of Dizzie Gillespie, Charlie "Bird" Parker for the Willis Conover''s Band. After a tour in the Army, Don graduated from George Washington University, Washington D. C. 1953 with an MBA in Personnel. In 1949 Don met Conradine (Connie) Leigh Noaker of Sebring Ohio. She was in the cast and he was playing in the pit of the musical High Button Shoes. They were married in 1950 at Connie''s Family Ranch in the San Fernando Valley- "Escrow''s Nest" In 1953 their first son Randy, was born in Washington D.C. Don joined Kaiser Aluminum in 1954 and moved their small family to Baton Rouge, then to New Orleans, where their second son Robin was born. Then it was off to Los Angles, this time with Kaiser Health Plan- while in L.A. their third child, Stacie was born. The Spiker clan moved to Northern California in 1964, this time Don joined Kaiser Industries, and has lived in the same Eichler home for 46 years. Don loved to work with his hands, and built his "weekend" home for the family up at Lake Berryessa where he taught his children the love of the water, the fish and the boat! Many summers were spent boating, fishing and water skiing at "the Lake". The children grown- Don and Connie set out on their dream of taking the open road with their Monaco Motor Coach. They traveled all over the USA and Mexico with their "Coach Family" becoming "snow birds" for the past 10 years. 15 years ago, Don was diagnosed with bladder cancer, received a urostomy and he was cancer free thru his death. He was an active member of the Contra Costa Urostomy Society, often volunteering to council new ostomy patients. Don leaves to survive him his wife of nearly 60 years, Connie, his two sons, Randy (Vivian) and Robin, his daughter, Stacie and his two grandsons, Cole Spiker and Chase Waterman. The Family would like to thank the Cardiac Care Unit at Kaiser Walnut Creek for their excellent care and a special Thank you to the Bruns House for their exceptional professionalism and wonderful care of Don. Any donations can be made to the Bruns House in Donald Spiker''s name. Services may be scheduled at a later date.