Obituary of Bro. Jerry Brammer Spikes

Funeral services for Bro. Jerry Brammer Spikes are scheduled for 10 AM Saturday, March 19, 2022 in the chapel of Golden Funeral Home with Bro. Jason Strong and Mr. Walter Bonner officiating. Interment will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday, March 18, 2022 from 5 PM until 7 PM at Golden’s. Jerry Brammer Spikes was born August 26, 1925 to Ester Mae Sibley and James William Shay, Adopted by Elvis Spikes in 1933. He is predeceased his parents and brothers, John, Fales, Clay Spikes, and sisters, Louise and Katie Spikes; half brothers, Morton William, and Carl Shay He married Gloria Lee Wallace on December 28, 1946. To this union was born Jerry Diane Holloway, their daughter. They shared sixty-eight years together before her death in August 2014. Jerry joined the Army in 1941, lying about his age and spent his seventeenth birthday in Africa fighting Rommel. Jerry fought in seven major campaigns: Tunisia, Sicily, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, Central Europe. When he returned from the war he returned to work at Stauffer Chemical giving forty five years of faithful services. When the war was over Jerry said, “If someone would give him a lily pad on a pond in Louisiana, He would be happy to never fight again…..war is terrible.” For many years Jerry and Gloria hauled kids to basketball games, youth rallies, church camp and retreats, various activities. It was not until I was an adult did I realize the sacrifice they made after a long work week to put up with us rowdy Hooligans. After his retirement from Stauffer Chemical, Jerry and Gloria had a “shut in” ministry for years, visiting with folks who were home bound, ill, and nursing home patients. Jerry and Gloria stated they got such a blessing from that. Jerry and Gloria loved their church home, First Church of God, and found great solace in their family there. While in Topeka, Jerry and Gloria worshiped at Faith Lutheran, making friends. We are thankful to them for caring for his spiritual needs after he became home bound. After moving to Topeka, He became a fixture at the Estate Sales, entertaining customers with war stories, having prayer with others. Everyone loved him and he never missed an opportunity to tell others about the Love of God! Jerry is survived by his loving daughter and family; Diane, son-in-law, Mickey, grandson, Galen and wife Cory; great grandsons, Liam and Fergus, and great grand daughter, Rhys. And a host of loving nephews and nieces. We were so fortunate to have shared his daily life and we thank God for that. He will be so missed….May we learn to live without his larger than life presence. May we all strive to live the kind of life that Jerry lived before us, We loved you so …..Tell everyone in Heaven hello for us and give them a hug….See you again one day Daddy! Serving as pallbearers will be Fales Spikes, Jimmy Spikes, Galen Holloway, Mickey Holloway, Liam Grant, Fergus Grant, and Billy Ellingburg. The family requests that any donations made, be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.