Donald Lee Pike's Obituary
Donald Lee Pike passed away peacefully on July 26th, 2023, at the age of 93 in Lakeland, Florida.
Don was born in Nelson, Ohio to the late Oliver and Frances Pike on June 16th, 1930. He went to Middlefield (OH) High School, graduating in 1948. He graduated from Kent State University in 1952. While in college, he purchased his father’s poultry route selling chickens/turkeys throughout the Cleveland, Ohio suburbs before the U.S. Army called him into service in 1954. He was stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado during the Korean War where his typewriting skills kept him stateside. During his service out West, he married Mona Fowler on November 15, 1954.
After his stint in the Army, Don purchased a turkey farm in Garrettsville, Ohio and renamed it Springbrook Farms. From the mid-1950’s until 1980 thru his hard-work and enthusiastic salesmanship, the farm grew from twenty-five acres to over 1,000 acres and became one of the biggest farms in northeast Ohio. During Springbrook Farms most successful periods, over 200,000 turkeys a year were raised on an average basis and Don won multiple awards in the turkey business.
Life was not without tragedy. In 1964, Don lost his first wife Mona and his youngest son Jimmy in an automobile accident. Don would raise his two boys Dave and Doug and daughter Connie for a few years before he would marry again on June 29, 1968, to wife Ann Stroup. Don would have three more children with Ann, their son Greg and daughters Cathy and Cindy. Don loved his family; he believed in his wife and children and was their biggest fan.
Don decided in February 1972 to change his life and accept Christ as his Savior while his family followed his lead. He became highly active in the local church and assisted with the development of the Gospel House Ministries in Ohio. Don found purpose as a devoted father, loving husband, and resolute breadwinner.
Don made a lifestyle change starting in the 1980’s by selling Springbrook Farms to his good friend Marvin DeWitt of Bil Mar Foods and moving the family to Florida.
Don enjoyed the last 42+ years living in Lakeland where he was an avid runner, working in network marketing and tirelessly growing the ministries at Carpenter’s Home Church and Victory Assembly of God. While at CHC, Don coordinated staffing volunteers 24 hours a day to pray in their Prayer Tower. While at Victory, Don would call first-time visitors and was a Church Deacon for eight years. Don loved conversing with people in person or on the telephone. For those that know him, his laughter and belief in others truly reflected his personality.
Heartbreak would again find the Pike family in 2011 when Don’s beloved daughter Cathy passed away with melanoma cancer. We are comforted in knowing that Don was reunited with Cathy when The Lord welcomed him with open arms as he entered the gates of heaven.
Don was preceded in death by his first wife Mona, sons Larry and Jimmy, daughter Cathy, son-in-law Randy Robinson and granddaughter Selah Cleveland.
Don is survived by his wife Ann, married for the last 55 years; children Dave and Laura Pike of Bainbridge Twp., Ohio; Connie and Jim Pesicek of Lakeland, Florida; Doug and Wendy Pike of Lakeland, Florida; Greg and Mandy Pike of Winter Garden, Florida; Cindy and Casey Cleveland of Lakeland, Florida. Also included are his younger brother Ken Pike of Hiram, Ohio and younger sister Kay Eastin of Huntsville, Alabama, plus twenty-one grandchildren and five great-grandchildren (and a sixth on the way!).
The Pike family wants to thank the services of Daryl and Suzie Trisch, who have been loyal caregivers of Don for the past six-plus years.
Visitation will be held at 10 AM this Saturday, August 5th, 2023, in the Chapel of Victory Church, 1401 Griffin Road in Lakeland, Florida 33810.
The Celebration of Life service will follow at 11 AM with Pastor Wayne Blackburn officiating. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery. Arrangements are by Gentry-Morrison Funeral Home.
For those that cannot attend Don's Celebration of life, it will be live streamed starting at 11AM ET Saturday at the following website:
Victorylakeland.org
Flowers website by Gentry-Morrison
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