Claude L. Speelman, 90, of Hermiston, a former Haines resident, died Jan. 30, 2003, at St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash.
His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the chapel of the Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home at Milton-Freewater. Pastor Richard Wright will officiate. Private interment will be Wednesday in Mount Hope Cemetery.
Claude was born Oct. 27, 1912, at Haines. He was the son of LeRoy and Lela Cross Speelman. He married Janet Pettie at Weiser, Idaho, in 1939.
He worked construction and the couple moved a lot when their children were young. He later worked ranches in the Baker Valley. They lived for several years at Waitsburg, Wash., until their oldest son died in a sawmill accident in 1959. Later, they moved to John Day.
His wife died in 1966. Claude moved back to Dayton where he married Edna Quigg. She died in 1991. He moved to Hermiston where he had lived with his daughter and son-in-law, Lela and Don Key.
Survivors include his two daughters, Lela Key of Hermiston and Pat Chappell of Milton-Freewater; a son, Michael Speelman of Madras; three sisters, Marge McAllister and Lois Moberly of Milton-Freewater and Jewel Wright of Nampa, Idaho; 11 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
He also was preceded in death by his son, Joe LeRoy Speelman in 1959; and a daughter who died at birth in 1948, Ellen Gayle Speelman.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children through the Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home, 902 S. Main St., Milton-Freewater, OR 97862.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, February 7, 2003
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor