February 27, 1952 - November 18, 2012
A celebration of life will be held for Darlene Kay Spichiger Erickson on Saturday, November 24, 2012 at Calvary Bible Church in Manzanita, Oregon at 1 PM. Darlene was born on February 27, 1952 in Bluffton, Indiana to Lloyd and Peggy Spichiger and passed away November 18, 2012 in Nehalem, Oregon at the age of 60. She attended grade school in Hartford Center, Indiana. , and graduated high school in Bluffton, Indiana. Darlene traveled West to Jackson Hole, Wyoming for a short period of time working as a nurse and eventually for the United States Forest Service (USFS). She then started her career with the Bureau of Reclamation. Darlene relocated with the Bureau to Boise, Idaho, Hamilton, Montana and finally settling in Bend, Oregon for the remaining 26 years of her service, which includes time spent in New Orleans providing disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina.
Darlene met the love of her life Ken at the Pelican Pub in Pacific City, Oregon on St. Patrick's Day in 2004. They moved into their new home in Nehalem in 2008. In 2010 they married at their home surrounded by friends and family. Darlene enjoyed tap dancing, ballet, hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, gardening, travel and jazz music.
Darlene is survived by her son Jason Eubank of Fort Wayne, IN., daughter Erin Kessler of Bend, OR, her father Lloyd Spichiger and his wife Karen of Bluffton, IN. 1 brother Keith Spichiger of Indianapolis, IN, niece Stephanie and nephew Christopher Spichiger, and grandchildren Canaan, Madilyn, McKenzie, Olivia, Blake, Kennedy and Kaleb. Step daughters Jennifer Groshong and Juli and Rob McConkey of Bend, OR., and her loving husband and best friend Ken.
Memorial contributions may be made to; Vets Helping Heroes, www.vetshelpingheroes.org/donations., or Tillamook County Hospice Program at 1015 3rd St. Tillamook, Oregon 97141.