Carl Speer, 79
Carl Speer, 79 of Broken Bow, passed away Dec. 11, 2012, at Golden Living Center. Funeral services were Saturday, Dec. 15, in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Broken Bow with Father Jim Hunt and Deacon Michael Dodge officiating. Burial was in Broken Bow Cemetery with Iverson Memorial Chapel in charge of arrangements. A memorial has been established to the family.
Carl worked for Mead Lumber in Broken Bow until he went to work for Becton-Dickinson, where he retired in 1985. Carl loved his books, reading and learning.
He was a wordsmith, painting pictures with words, and a walking dictionary. As an artist, he enjoyed working with oil paints and charcoal, but was best known for his pencil drawings. He would spontaneously draw on whatever was handily available, wherever he was - from napkins at the restaurant to cardboard boxes at work, to the walls of his home.
Carl especially loved playing board games with his children and long country drives. He also loved to travel, hitchhiking across the country when he was young, and traveling to visit his children and grandchildren as he grew older.
He has resided at Golden Living Center for the last few years, where he loved all the staff - entertaining them with his singing and whistling.
Carl is survived by his wife, Ruth, of Broken Bow; three sons, Carl (Sherry) Speer of Kearney, Daniel Speer of Kearney, and William (Theresa) Speer of Mason City; two daughters, Deborah (Michael) Dodge of Davenport, N.D., and Angie (Troy) Martinez of Anselmo; 23 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.
Published in Custer County Chief, Dec. 27, 2012
