SPEER, Rachel E.: Born 1900

SPEER, HAMILTON, HELPHREY, GROH, KELLER, SHANNON

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 10/13/2013 at 07:41:28

Rachel Speer dies at 82

Rachel E. Speer, 82, of Birmingham, longtime resident of Fairfield, died at 3:10 a.m. today at Jefferson County Hospital.

The service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at first Christian Church with the Rev. Charles Kincaid officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Senior Citizen Center. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Raymond Funeral Home.

Mrs. Speer was born June 5, 1900 at Mt. Pleasant, the daughter of Arthur and Lucy Hamilton Helphrey. She lived most of her life in the Jefferson County community. She married Floyd A. Speer on March 31, 1921 at Fairfield. He died Dec. 31, 1973.

Surviving are five children, Wilma Groh of Sioux City, Berle Speer of Boulder, Colo., Barbara Keller of Birmingham, Don Speer of Marion and Verna Shannon of Martell, Neb.; 17 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. A son and two grandchildren preceded her in death.

Mrs. Speer was a member of First Christian Church, Rebekah Lodge, Keep Young Club and Pythian Sisters. She worked as a cook at Parsons College, Washington School and during the summer at the Free Methodist Campgrounds in Birmingham.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book C, Page 279, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA