October 19, 1946 – November 3, 2024
John Dennis Spikes, 78, of Houston Texas formally of Beeville, Texas, died on November 3, 2024 in Friendswood, Texas.
He was born October 19, 1946, to George Luther Spikes and Monte Creek Spikes in Beeville, Texas. John attended St. Joseph elementary school. He was a 1964 graduate of A. C. Jones High School. He attended University of Houston. While at the University of Houston John suffered an automobile accident that left him mentally disabled.
Despite his challenges, he worked in the cafeteria at Bee County College for 10 years. John lived his life with a positive and joyful attitude. John enjoyed his social life in Beeville, playing golf at Beeville Country Club, attending live baseball games and watching Astros baseball on TV, traveling all over the world with his mother, and his favorite, spending time with family. John was involved in St. Joseph Catholic Church in Beeville and St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church in Houston.
In 2004 after John’s mother passed away he came to live with his sister Georgann and her husband Fred. He continued to enjoy taking part in family gatherings and watching his nieces and nephews grow up. In 2007 he was invited to attend the day program at Hope Village for Special Needs Adults in Friendswood, Texas. In 2010 he was admitted to their residency program where he lived in House 2 and House 5. He participated in their educational and social programs for 14 years.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Paul and Grace Spikes, his parents, George and Monte Spikes, and his sister, Rosemary Spikes Fugundes.
Survivors include his sister Georgann Spikes Wrinkle and husband Fred H. Wrinkle, his brother, Paul D. Spikes and wife Mady Kaye, his nieces Juliann and Scott Pappan, Susanne and Tim Donovan, and his nephews David and Emily Wrinkle, Doug and Lori Wrinkle, Steven and Iliana Wrinkle, and Dean and Lisa Miller. He has also enjoyed watching 17 grandnieces and grandnephews and 11 great grandnieces and great grandnephews grow up happy and successful.
Everyone who knew John learned many things from him. Among them were his positive attitude, his joyful philosophy of life, and his many sayings:
“Do whatever is nessassary”
“That’s the game of life”
“Let them be who they will be”
“The light is green” (he loved to ride shotgun)
And when offered a Shiner Bock: “Of course, Of course.”
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hope Village, 15403 Hope Village Road, Friendswood Texas 77546. Hope Village is a non-profit home for special needs adults and receives no government funds.
The family of John Spikes wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all the staff at Hope Village including the directors Sharon and Roger Proulx, John’s house managers, Norma, Malinda Taylor, and Denzel Maxwell, Sandra Jones, Amanda Surlock, and all the wonderful caregivers and teachers. John loved each one of them.
The Funeral Mass will be held at 10am on Friday November 29, 2024 at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, 1313 El Dorado Blvd., Houston, Texas with Fr. Vincent Vuohg-Quoc Nguyen officiating. Burial will be held at Glenwood Cemetery in Beeville, Texas on Monday, December 2, 2024 at 10am with Fr. Pete Elizardo officiating.
