John C.
Spiker Sr. was born on February 5th, 1948 in Cumberland Maryland. He is
preceded in death by his parents; William Henry Spiker and Edna Elizabeth
Spiker. John is survived by his son John C. Spiker Jr. and wife Heather,
daughter Crystal, granddaughter Corie, grandsons Nick and Justice, great
granddaughter Madeline, brother, William D. Spiker and his wife Kaye, niece
Diane and his extended Harrington-Huffman family and many friends all over the
State.
As a
youngster, John and his brother Bill were members of the ABC traveling bowling
league. John was on the Arundel High School State Championship Basketball team
in 1964-1965. He was active in the Boy scouts and in the Methodist Church Youth
Choir. The Methodist Youth group presented Brooks Robinson with a bible on the
third base at Memorial Stadium. John loved all sports and music and at one
time, he played the saxophone and the drums.
John knew
he wanted to be a fireman at the age of 5. John began his young life around the
firehouse as his father was a member of the Oakland Volunteer Fire Department
in the late 1950s. In 1962, the family moved to Odenton. In September 1963,
John attended Arundel High school and ultimately became a proud member of the
Odenton Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. on February 5, 1964, upon turning 16 years
of age. John celebrated his 52 years of fire service on February 5, 2016.
In
John’s early years at the Odenton station, it was common for John to
assist as an EMS aide to the Jessup Volunteer Fire Department, allowing Jessup
VFD to put their ambulance in service with a driver and an aide. As it turned
out, John became an active member of both companies.
In 1964,
Anne Arundel County became a Charter Government. With the Charter Government,
the Anne Arundel County Fire Department was established. At the time, the
government only hired drivers. A bill was submitted to hire firefighters for
staffing around the County. On April 15th, 1968, John was one of 29 chosen to
attend the first Anne Arundel County Fire Department training class.
John’s badge number was 101, where he was assigned to Marley Volunteer
Fire Company as a firefighter. In 1970, John was promoted to Engineman and was
assigned to Jessup Volunteer Fire Department.
John
attended Catonsville Community College, the National Fire Academy, and retired
from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Fire Rescue Department as a
Deputy Fire Marshal, specializing in arson investigations. He was certified as
an Arson Investigator II and Inspector III.
In 1996,
John received the Firefighter of the Year Award sponsored by the Northern Anne
Arundel County Chamber of Commerce and in 1997; he received Individual of the
Year Award, sponsored by the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighters
Association.
John’s
volunteerism continued as he became a member of additional volunteer fire
companies, holding the ranks of Firefighter, Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant
Chief, and ultimately Chief. He has received numerous certifications, both
through the Maryland Voluntary Fire Service Certification System and the
National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications. He also holds the
certification as an Airport Rescue Firefighter (ARFF).
John is an
active member of the Riviera Beach Volunteer Fire Company, where he is a FADO.
It is not uncommon to see John participating in work activities around the
station and community. He is a go-getter in his local company.
John is
Past President of the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighters Association
and currently held the position of Trustee.
John
Spiker’s fifty two years of fire service in Anne Arundel county, serving
in both a volunteer and career capacity has been a great asset to the fire
service. In the past, he has served as the AACVFA Fire Prevention chairperson
and was the driving force behind the acquisition of Anne Arundel County’s
first Fire Safety House. John has not only been involved in fire prevention
education, but has also been instrumental in the installation of smoke alarms
for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing citizens of Anne Arundel County and
surrounding areas.
John was
very active with the MSFA and Anne Arundel County Residential Sprinkler
Committees, where he traveled to Minneapolis to support the Residential
Sprinkler vote with the ICC and again to Baltimore to participate in the latest
ICC vote, promoting the installation of sprinklers in new one and two family
homes.
In 2006,
John was inducted into the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighter’s
Association Hall of Fame and in 2007 he was inducted into the Maryland State Firemen’s
Association’s Hall of Fame.
In March
2008, John was awarded Firefighter of the Year for the local Knights of
Columbus from Our Lady of the Chesapeake Catholic Church and was later named
Firefighter of the Year for the Maryland Knights of Columbus, with an awards
ceremony and Mass held at Mother Seton Parish, Baltimore, Maryland. In 2009,
John was once again awarded Firefighter of the Year from Our Lady of the
Chesapeake Catholic Church.
John has
been involved with the MSFA for over 40 years, serving as Co-Chairperson of the
MSFA’s Fire and Life Safety Committee and Chairperson of the Historical
& Archives Committee. He currently serves on the Maryland Fire Rescue
Memorial Foundation and it is common to see him at the Memorial in Annapolis
performing maintenance tasks. He currently serves on several other MSFA
Committees.
He is a
Life Member of the Maryland Fire Chiefs with over 35 years of service and is
also a Life Member of the Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Company.
John was
Vice President of the Friends of Downs Park where he initiated the fundraising
for the new amphitheater. John was also a member of the Pasadena Senior Center
where he assisted with fundraising efforts as well.