Dr. Kenneth E. Speak D.O.

Dr. Kenneth E. Speak, D.O., 87, went to be with the Lord on December 23, 2013. He was born April 14, 1926 in Keokuk, Iowa to parents Orvil Orris and Hazel Blanche (Berry) Speak. He is survived by his children, Bruce Speak, Kathy Inmon, Kim Carty and her husband Russell Carty, all of Kerens, TX, Wendy Colburn and her husband Shane Colburn, of Midlothian, TX, his grandchildren; Cody Speak, of Trinidad, TX, Jeremy Speak, of Malakoff, TX, Joshua Speak of Tool, TX, Alex Inmon, of Tyler, TX, Kendall Hutson of Mabank, TX, Zak Inmon of Kerens, TX, Tyler, Blake, and Brett Colburn of Midlothian, TX, Tori, Tanner, and Rachel Carty of Kerens, TX, and Rebekah Speak, of Kerens, TX and also great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Dorothy Jean, whom he wed on February 6, 1956 and at the time of her passing were married 57 years and one brother Richard Speak. Kenneth graduated from Keokuk Senior High School in 1944, where he was a member of The National Honor Society and The National Athletic Honor Society, he also received the Bausch and Lombe Science Award. After graduation he joined the United States Army, where he served in the Air Corps. After leaving the military Kenneth attended college in Iowa and graduated from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri. He practiced medicine at the old hospital in Athens, then opened a private practice in Frankston. He also worked in Mabank, Seven Points, Dallas (Pleasant Grove), Kerens, in California, a short time in Alaska as well as for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Tennessee Colony and MHMR in Mexia. Dr. Speak was one of the few doctors that made house calls for his patients and has delivered countless babies during his career, including his own granddaughter at home, and numerous nieces and nephews. Kenneth was a very soft spoken gentle man that had the patience we should all strive for. He was a Christian that lived for the Lord and was a great example for many. He served as a Deacon in his church and had donated his medical services in Haiti on a missionary trip. Kenneth loved people and was very sociable. He had a special love for animals. His friends called him "Doc", Ken or simply Dr. Speak and he never met a stranger. Kenneth had many roles: husband, father, brother, son, uncle, grandfather, doctor, friend, mentor and role model.