Mildred Speck

Mildred Speck, age 88 of Albia, Iowa, formerly of Bussey, passed away early Saturday, November 14, 2009, at her daughter's residence in rural Albia, Iowa. Mildred was born on February 4th, 1921, to Earl and Maude (Hughes) Davis in Marion County. She grew up on a farm west of Marysville. Mildred attended grade school in Marysville and attended high school in Bussey. She married Jesse Speck on February 6th, 1938. They lived on three different farms and moved east of Bussey in 1946. They enjoyed 63 wonderful years before Jesse passed away on December 19th, 1998. Mildred was a homemaker and enjoyed sewing, quilting, gardening, canning items from her garden, doing volunteer work, and spending time with her family and friends. She was a 4-H leader and Social Studies teacher. She was a member of CWF and a member of Farm Bureau for over 60 years. Mildred was also a member of the Bethel Christian Church, later moving to the First Christian Church in Albia. One of Mildred's favorite activities was being a member of the Sac & Fox Lapidary in Fairfield, Iowa. Mildred loved to make jewelry out of polished gemstones as well as making bracelets and necklaces out of beads. She enjoyed working with petrified woods, making bookends, paperweights, and penholders. Mildred was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Maude; her husband, Jesse: one son, David Speck; two grandchildren in infancy; 3 sisters, Dorothy Hoy, Helen Smith, and Genevieve Locker; and one brother, Walter Earl Davis, Jr. She is survived by one sister, Edna Bonnett; two brothers, Curtis Davis and Howard Davis; two daughters, Margaret Tangie and her husband Bob of Albia, Iowa, Janice Comstock of Knoxville, Iowa; and one son, Craig Speck, of Jasper, Missouri; 12 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; 4 step great grandchildren; and 6 great great grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, friends, and good neighbors. A memorial has been established to the First Christian Church in Albia, or to Dialysis Unit at the Pella Regional Hospital in Pella, Iowa.