PIKE, Harold Levon

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Wednesday, June 01, 2011 Harold Levon Pike of Prescott, Ariz., died at home on Friday, May 27, 2011, after a brief illness. He was 80 years old. He was born on Oct. 3, 1930, in Midland, Texas, and grew up in Sudan, Texas. Harold graduated from Clarksville High School in Clarksville, Ark., in 1948. He graduated from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, in 1952 with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. He started his career with Sandia Corp. at their Salton Sea Base, California location, where he met and married the love of his life in 1954. In 1961, Harold, his wife and three children traveled to Denver, Colo., where he was employed by Martin Marietta Astronautics. In the mid-1970s, he was awarded Engineer of the Year, and the following year he was awarded Scientist of the Year. He received several patents while at Martin. In 1975-76, the Pikes established Aspen Labs Inc. where he continued to receive patents for his medical equipment designs. Aspen Labs Inc. was eventually sold to multinational corporation Zimmer U.S.A., a subsidiary of Bristol-Myers. Harold is survived by his wife of 57 years, Josie Pike; their four children, Leland Pike of Ontario, Calif., Lisa Hayward of Gautier, Miss., Lowell Pike and his wife Yi of Lexington, Ky., and Lauri Dreher and her husband Bill of Prescott, Ariz.; six grandchildren, Emily and Julia Pike, Robert and Madison Hayward, R.W. and Dani Dreher; and two great-granddaughters, Emma and Lula Pike. Besides his great love of family, in his younger days, he enjoyed flying his airplane. After retirement, he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, especially watching and supporting them at their many activities. He also enjoyed gardening, reading, relaxing on his back porch and, most of all, sharing his great sense of humor and wise words. Visitation will be noon to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 4, 2011, with services at 1 p.m. at Heritage Memory Mortuary, 131 Grove Ave., Prescott, Ariz., with burial at the Mountain View Cemetery in Prescott, Ariz. Please visit www.heritagefuneralchapels.com to sign Harold's online guestbook. Services entrusted to Heritage Memory Mortuary. Information provided by survivors.