Frederick Speck

FREDERICK EARL SPECK CENTREVILLE: Frederick Earl Speck, Jr., 88, departed this life to begin his new life with the Lord on July 6, 2003 at his residence in Centreville surrounded by loved ones. The son of the late Frederick Erwin Speck and Anna Mason, he was born in the mill house of his father’s flourmill in Pecktonville, MD on January 25, 1915. Graduating from Clear Spring High School in 1932, he began a partnership with his father. He was a fifth generation Washington County flour miller whose family had flourmills in Western Maryland dating at least to the Revolutionary War. Principally located in Washington County Maryland and Franklin County Pennsylvania, the Speck family also operated mills in Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. Following the death of his father in 1944, he began a career in sales, moving his family to Centreville in 1947 where he was a faithful member of the Centreville United Methodist Church and was active in the community. He was always serving others with his caring and generous deeds, attributes to which his friends and neighbors can attest. He was employed by Hess and Clark of Ashland, OH, selling animal medications until 1967. Then, rather than accept a promotion and move to Ohio, he resigned his position as district sales manager to stay in the town of Centreville, which he and his family had come to love. He was then employed by Animal Health Sales of Selbyville, DE until 1988 when he retired to care for his wife who was in ill health. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 54 years, Isabelle Dorsey Speck, who passed away in 1988; his three sisters, Carrie Stover, Dorothy Shank and Alta Clarke; and three nephews, Frederick Stover, Bennie Kline and Wayne Shank. He is survived by two loving daughters and their spouses, Sonia Speck Taylor and Joseph G. Taylor of Church Hill, Cheeri Speck Ford and Thomas L. Ford of Hartville, OH; four grandchildren and their spouses, Joseph G. Taylor III (J.T.) and Patsy Taylor of Church Hill, Wendy Taylor Burgess and Bruce Burgess of Church Hill, Thomas Frederick Ford and Shelley Ford of Merritt Island, FL and Gregg Ford of Cincinnati, OH; three great grandsons, Joseph Taylor IV (Joe), Britton Burgess and Greg Taylor; one step great grandson, David Parks; eight nieces and nephews including his nieces from Williamsport and Clear Spring whom he loved as daughters, Joyce Resley, Gloria Funkhouser and Linda Henson and his nephews from Dundalk who were dearly loved by him and he thought of as sons, Dorsey Kline and Terry Kline. Having married a second time in 1997, he is survived by his wife of six years, Evelyn Kaufman Speck; two step daughters and their husbands, Constance K. Blades and Robert E. Blades of Easton and Patti K. Willis and Craig S. Willis of St. Michaels; four step grandchildren and their spouses, Amelia B. Steward and Eric Steward of Easton, C. Craig Blades and Candance Blades of Richmond, VA, Katherine Willis and Brian Willis both of St. Michaels; and four step great grandchildren, Andrew and Conner Dorbin and William and Caroline Blades. Funeral services will be held at Centreville United Methodist Church, Centreville, MD, Saturday, July 12, 2003 at 11:00 am. Interment will follow at the Chesterfield Cemetery, Centreville. Friends and family may call one hour prior to the service and also Friday, July 11, 2003 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, Centreville. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Queen Anne’s Inc., 300 Del Rhodes Ave., Queenstown, MD 21658 or Centreville United Methodist Church Building Fund, 608 Church Hill Rd., Centreville, MD 21617.