Darlene Kay Spichiger Erickson, 60, of Nehalem, Ore., passed away Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012 in Nehalen, Ore. Darlene was born in Bluffton, Feb. 27, 1952, to Lloyd and Peggy (Campbell) Spichiger. She attended grade school in Hartford Center, Adams County, and graduated high school in Bluffton in 1970. Darlene traveled west to Jackson Hole, Wyo., for a short period of time working as a nurse and eventually for the United States Forest Service (USFS). She then started her career with the Bureau of Reclamation. Darlene relocated with the Bureau to Boise, Idaho, Hamilton, Mont., and finally settling in Bend, Oregon for the remaining 26 years of her service, which includes time spent in New Orleans providing disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina. Darlene met the love of her life Ken at the Pelican Pub in Pacific City, Oregon on St. Patrick's Day in 2004. They moved into their new home in Nehalem in 2008. In 2010 they married at their home surrounded by friends and family. Darlene enjoyed tap dancing, ballet, hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, gardening, travel and jazz music. Darlene is survived by her son Jason Eubank of Fort Wayne; a daughter, Erin Kessler of Bend, Ore.; her father, Lloyd Spichiger and his wife Karen of Bluffton; a brother, Keith Spichiger of Indianapolis; a niece, Stephanie Spichiger; a nephew, Christopher Spichiger; grandchildren, Canaan, Madilyn, McKenzie, Olivia, Blake, Kennedy and Kaleb; stepdaughters, Jennifer Groshong and Juli (Rob) McConkey of Bend, Ore.; and her loving husband and best friend, Ken. A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, at Calvary Bible Church in Manzanita, Ore. Memorial contributions may be made to; Vets Helping Heroes, www.vetshelpingheroes.org/donations., or Tillamook County Hospice Program, 1015 3rd St. Tillamook, OR 97141.