Merle Edwin Speer 1921-2003

SPEER, WINSLOW, SCOTT, ANDERSON, SCHULTE, TRAFTON, KILBY, LATHAN, KRUEGER

Posted By: Maureen Speer Trafton (email)
Date: 4/24/2005 at 12:49:53

Merle Speer 02/22/2003 DAVENPORT -- Funeral services and Mass of Christian Burial for Merle E. Speer, a resident of Davenport, will be 11 A.M. Monday at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park. Visitation will be on Sunday from 2 to 6 P.M. at Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home, where a prayer service will be offered at 5 P.M. Mr. Speer died Thursday, Feb. 20, 2003, at Manor Care Health Facilities, Davenport, following a brief illness. Merle Edwin Speer was born Sept. 4, 1921, in Fairfield, Iowa, a son of Irvin and Vena (Winslow) Speer. He married Andorthy Scott on June 22, 1942, at Sacred Heart Cathedral. She preceded him in death on Aug. 29, 1996. Merle graduated from Rock Island High School. He then entered the Army Air Corps and served as a pilot. He worked for Illinois Bell as a central office technician. He retired in 1982 after several years of service. While at Illinois Bell, his friends referred to him as "Pappy." He was a member of the Cathedral, Illinois Telephone Pioneers Retiree Club, IBEW and American Legion, and a lifetime member of Knights of Columbus, 532. He was instrumental in the founding of Illinois Bell Credit Union. Merle enjoyed the time he spent with his family and friends. He was a diehard Cubs fan and a loyal Hawkeyes fan. Memorials can be made to Sacred Heart Cathedral or CASI. Survivors include daughters and sons-in-law, Tina and Gordon Anderson, LeClaire, Iowa, Mary and Dan Schulte, Des Moines, Maureen and Ken Trafton, Sioux Falls, S.D., Andorthy Kilby, Davenport, and Karen and Ira Lathan, Aurora, Ill.; sons and daughters-in-law, Michael and Mary Louise Speer, Bettendorf, Dick and Joan Speer, Natchitoches, La., Bill and Deb Speer, Princeton, Iowa, and Bob and Sandy Speer, Roland and Carol Speer and Joe and Pam Speer, all of Davenport; 54 grandchildren; 45 great-grandchildren; a sister, Doris Krueger, of Colorado; brothers, Max Speer, of Minnesota, and Don Speer, Port Byron, Ill.; numerous nieces and nephews; and dearest friend and sister-in-law, Therese Karwath. His wife, a son, Andrew, and a daughter, Cathy Blount, brothers, Gerald and Roger Speer, and his best friends, Skip and Jack, preceded him in death. May they rest in peace.