LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Longtime '60 Minutes' and 'CBS News' producer Katie Spikes has died at the age of 53 on Tuesday. Special correspondent James Brown first announced the news of her death during Thursday's broadcast of CBS Evening News.
"Katie Spikes was a talented producer, a beloved colleague, mentor, and friend," said Brown, 72. "She was survived by her loving husband Donald [Furrer], her two sons 16-year-old James [and] 12-year-old Owen, and a stepson, 27-year-old Brandon." He concluded, "All of us here at CBS News extend our deepest sympathies to her family."
How did Katie Spikes die?
Spikes, whose real name was Katharine Alma Spikes, died after a five-year battle with cancer. She worked as '60 Minutes' senior story editor and was considered a "driving force" for handling many of the famous guest bookings for the program, which include Michael Phelps, Joaquin Phoenix, and President Barack Obama. She worked with CBS for the last 30 years, took on various roles, and served as a founding senior producer of '60 Minutes Sports'.
Spikes won an Emmy in 1997 for her work surrounding Princess Diana's death and also spent a period at CNN's 'Larry King Live' in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles. She rose to prominence after joining CBS and was at the forefront of the network's coverage of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
Spikes was born in New York City on October 26, 1969, and grew up in Larchmont, New York. She died at home in Westfield, New Jersey, and is survived by her husband Donald Furrer, sons James Joseph Furrer and Owen Doolin Furrer and stepson Brandon Scott Furrer, along with her parents, Judith Doolin Spikes and Dr James L Spikes, and her sister, Sarah Spikes.
'Katie was such an important force'
Following Thursday's broadcast, executive producer Bill Owens said, "Katie was such an important force on the ninth floor [home of 60 Minutes] that it is hard to put into words." "She was the relentless positive energy that everyone sought out. Smart, funny, hardworking, and a genius friend and mentor," he continued. "I valued Katie's opinion because she wasn't afraid to take the other side of an argument and always had impeccable taste."
Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi regarded Spikes as "a talented producer, a fearless newsroom diplomat and an irreplaceable and unwavering friend." Alfonsi added, "Katie loved to amplify the stories of underdogs from all walks of life. In the sometimes dark and heavy newsroom, Katie Spikes was joy and light. She is irreplaceable."
