John E. Spreen Jr., born on Nov. 1, 1931, to John Spreen and Marilyn Alexander Spreen in Hays, Kan. Beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, nephew, uncle and brother-in-law.

As a child, John moved with his parents to Albany, Ore., where he graduated from high school and later attended the University of Oregon on a football scholarship before joining the Coast Guard in 1951. Between 1954 and 1959, John played baseball for the New York Giants Organization.

On March 15, 1958, John married Donna McCandless Mosher in Reno, Nev. The family then lived in California where John attended Cal Poly for one year before relocating to Reno. There, John attended the University of Nevada for one year before moving his family to Mesa, Ariz., in 1960, where he worked as an electrical technician in the engineering department at General Motors Proving Ground for 31 years before retiring in 1996. In 1992, John and Donna moved to Pine, Ariz., where they lived until they moved to Hayden in 1999. John loved and excelled in every sport he played. In his golden years, golf was his sport of choice until his health slowed him down.

John is survived by his wife of 53 years and his daughters, Barbara Mosher Wanlass (Robert) of Mesa and Jonna Spreen Ferguson (Gary) of Spirit Lake; and seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren. John is also survived by his two sisters, Darlene Kampfer of Seattle, Wash., and Margaret Livingston of Sacramento, Calif.; and his dear aunt, Lydia Farris, who loved him like the son she never had; his brother-in-law, Ron Brantley (Karen), who was like a brother to John; his nephew, Troy Brantley, who was like a son he never had, and many other nieces and nephews.

John died from pancreatic cancer at home surrounded by his family under North Idaho Hospice Care.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, 2011, at Lake City Community Church in Hayden. To sign an online memorial guest book, visit www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.