Donald Spoo

Donald D. Spoo, age 81, passed away unexpectedly on March 18, 2014, at Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, Iowa.

He was born February 17, 1933, in Atlantic, Iowa, to Ronald and Velma (Schwab) Spoo. He spent his childhood in Exira, Iowa, where he graduated from Exira High school in 1951. He was a pitcher on his high school baseball team that won the Iowa state championship in 1951.

On August 31, 1952, he married his high school sweetheart, Doris Leander in Exira, and together, they traveled life’s journey, through its ups and downs, for the next 62 years. They raised two children, Julie and Robert.

Don served in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper from 1953 to 1955. He graduated from the University of Minnesota at Mankato in 1957. His career consisted mostly of teaching high school and coaching baseball and basketball, along with some cross country. His retirement life was spent at the “Lake House” in northern Wisconsin which he and volunteers built. He has always enjoyed feeding the birds.

Don was a God loving and loyal family man who was a great fan of college basketball and baseball. He enjoyed home cooked meals, golf, and keeping up with his two grandsons’ sports endeavors. He hated painting.

Don was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, David Spoo.

He is survived by his loving wife, Doris Spoo of Atlantic, Iowa; daughter, Julie (Jeff) Ivory of St. Louis, Missouri; son, Robert Spoo of Minneapolis, Minnesota; grandsons, Justin Ivory and Jake Ivory; step-sister, Georgia Spoo; and nephews, Shawn Spoo and Shane Spoo.

Dad and Grandpa will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial go to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 22, 2014, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa. The family will visit with people at a luncheon held in the church fellowship hall following the service.