Ernest Melvern Spokes

Ernest M. Spokes, Jr., "Ernie", was born June 4, 1945 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Ernest and June Spokes. In 1948 the family moved to Lexington, Kentucky where his father was a professor at the University of Kentucky. After graduating from high school at the age of 17 Ernie joined the Army Reserves. Unsatisfied with the Army Reserve duty, he signed papers to join the Regular Army and there his adventure began. Ernie was sent to Fort Dix in New York to be trained as an infantryman. During that training he demonstrated competence and leadership skills that lead him to be selected to attend Officers Candidates School at Fort Benning, Georgia. After completing that school and being commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, he attended Jump School and Ranger School both at Fort Benning, Georgia. The Army then sent Ernie to study Vietnamese at the language school at the Presidio in Monterey, California. There he also developed a love for deep sea fishing. In 1966 Captain Spokes was assigned to a Special Forces A Team in Vietnam. In Vietnam he worked with American and indigenous troops in combat operations and civic action projects. He left Vietnam in 1968 after the Tet Offensive had been defeated. In his remaining months in the Army Ernie joined the Army's famed Golden Knights parachute team and made over 250 parachute jumps.

In 1973 Ernie graduated from California State Fullerton with a degree in Economics. Later he decided to attend law school and obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from Western State University College of Law in 1978. His first job after finishing law school was as Deputy District Attorney in San Joaquin County. When an opening became available in Stanislaus County District Attorney's office he moved to Modesto. He was a Deputy District Attorney in Modesto from October of 1979 to 1989. During his tenure he was Chief Deputy of misdemeanor and felony divisions and for the last years he was the Senior Felony Trial Deputy.

After leaving the District Attorney's Office, he worked as an associate attorney for a civil litigation law firm. In 1992 he opened his own law practice specializing in Criminal Defense cases. In 2017 Ernie retired from the practice of law.

Ernie was an avid skydiver making several hundred jumps in the U.S. and other countries including Vietnam, France, Germany, and Australia. He loved hunting, fishing, skeet shooting, and traveling. He was passionate about politics and the Dallas Cowboys. Ernie was a past President of the Stanislaus County Bar Association of Stanislaus in 1992, past President of the Criminal Courts Bar Association of Stanislaus County from 2000 to 2002, and past President of the Modesto "500" Lions Club 1990 to 1991. He was also a member of Stanislaus Lodge 206, Free & Accepted Masons of Modesto, Scottish Rite, Shriners, the American Legion, Modesto Post 74, the Old Fisherman's Club, the Oakdale Trap Club, and a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association.

Ernie is survived by his wonderful spouse of 22 years, Norma, a daughter from a previous marriage Marissa Spokes, his sister Patricia Snowden and his niece Juliane Snowden from Bethesda, Maryland.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.