John Michael Spradley

A celebration of life will be noon to 4 p.m. Aug. 15 at Minden Park for 16-year Gardnerville resident John Michael Spradley, 57, who died July 7, 2009, with family and friends at his side.

Born June 2, 1952, Mr. Spradley was an accomplished musician and vocalist, who played and performed since the age of 15. While he also knew keyboard and violin, the instrument he loved was acoustic guitar.

Professionally, his most recent group was called the "Coppertunes," an acoustic guitar three-part harmony trio, who played in many venues around Carson Valley and Markleeville.

He married his wife Bonnie on Jan. 23, 1993, at the base of Yosemite Falls. The couple moved to Gardnerville the following spring.

Mr. Spradley loved to explore, taking road trips, ATV rides and steam train adventures. He would videotape trips to ghost towns or geocaches.

He had an interest in astronomy and was a Ham radio operator.

He was interested in aviation, and enjoyed flight, whether as a passenger in a sailplane or at the controls of a radio controlled helicopter. He recently began using a flight simulator on his computer.

He was preceded in death by sister Mary Leggewie of Lake Arrowhead, Calif.

Mr. Spradley is survived by wife Bonnie; parents John Francis and Sue Spradley of Sylmar, Calif.; sister Nanette Weinberg of Northridge, Calif.; brother Timothy Spradley of Sylmar, Calif.; and many nieces and nephews.