Spike Piersol, former Hermiston firefighter and community volunteer, died on Monday, April 8 in Portland at the age of 75.
According to the Umatilla County Fire District No. 1, Piersol “spent his entire life serving the community of Hermiston and left a lasting mark on everyone he interacted with.”
A Vietnam War veteran, Piersol was a member of the American Legion Post 37. He served on both the Umatilla County Fair Board as well as the Hermiston School Board. For years, he played Santa Claus during the Christmas season and was a volunteer with the Start Making A Reader Today or SMART program. He was also a longtime organizer of the Umatilla County Fair Parade.
In 2006, Piersol was named Hermiston’s Man of the Year.
A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, May 18 at 11 a.m. at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center, 1705 E. Airport Road in Hermiston.
