Opal Mae Speshock

Speshock, Opal Mae
Opal Mae Speshock, 91, a resident of Chandler, Arizona, died Sunday evening, July 12, at Presbyterian Hospital, Albuquerque, New Mexico, following a brief illness. Born in Kokomo, Indiana, February 15, 1924, she was the daughter of Floyd Homer and Fannie Elizabeth (Butler) Stover. She was married to Michael John Speshock, on November 27, 1952, who preceded her in death October 9, 1983. She later married Luther Urban, who passed away five years after their marriage. Upon graduation in 1942 from Ervin High School, where she loved sports and was a member of the school Cheer Squad; she worked for Bell Telephone in Kokomo, Indiana, San Francisco, California, and Camp Atterbury, Indiana, where she met her future husband who was there training with his unit as an Infantry Officer. Following their marriage, they lived and raised their family in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Alaska and Virginia, before eventually settling in Arizona, where her husband served as a member of the United States Public Health Service until his retirement. An avid bowler, she participated in numerous leagues with her friends from Sun Lakes, Arizona. She enjoyed travel, was passionate about reading, was a loyal fan of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and was nearly unbeatable at Scrabble and dominoes. She is survived by two sons, Vernon (Joan) M. Speshock, Chandler, Arizona and Vincent M. Speshock, Albuquerque, New Mexico; a daughter, Susan Blind, Bakersfield, California; and a sister, Jean Rinehart, Burlington, Indiana. One son, Michael J. Speshock Jr., and two brothers, Russell Stover, and Lloyd Stover, are deceased. She has four grandchildren, Shannon Speshock, Michael V. Speshock, Joseph Speshock, and Shan Pao, and many loving nieces and nephews. A memorial mass is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 25th, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, Tempe, Arizona. Internment will be at All Saints Catholic Slovak Cemetery in Hollisterville, Pennsylvania. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Mary's Food Bank, 2831 N. 31st Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, 85009, www.firstfoodbank