Dr. Edward Speer

DR. EDWARD W. SPEER

Stanwood

Edward Wendell Speer, DVM, longtime Stanwood veterinarian, died Feb. 24, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids, with his family at his side. Visitation will be at Stanwood Union Church on Sunday, Feb. 28, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the funeral service immediately following. Burial and graveside services will follow at Stanwood City Cemetery, with a luncheon at Stanwood Union Church immediately following.

Online condolences may be shared at www.fryfuneralhome.com.

Ed was born Oct. 27, 1929, and raised on the family farm in Clearwater, Kan., son and eldest child of Effie Rae (Bump) and Levi Wendell Speer. He attended a one-room elementary school, graduated from Clearwater High School, then went on to graduate from Kansas State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1952. While at Kansas State, he was an active member of Farm House fraternity.

After veterinary school, Ed served in the U.S. Air Force Veterinary Corps from 1952 to 1954 as base veterinarian at McConnell AFB, Wichita, Kan. He then relocated with his family in November 1954 to Stanwood, Iowa, where he established a sole veterinary practice until retirement in August 2008. Ed practiced veterinary medicine in Stanwood for 58 years. For several years he also maintained a second office in Olin.

Ed married Lenora J. Melzer in Topeka, Kan., on June 20, 1952. They are the parents of four children, Thomas, Bradford, Kristin and Kymberly.

Ed was active in the community and served as president of the Lincoln Community school board, member of Stanwood Town Council, volunteer fireman and was a member of many other local civic organizations.

As scoutmaster, he led a troop of area boys to Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimmaron, N.M., in 1970 and again to the Boundary Waters Canoe Base in Ely, Minn., in 1971. Ed also was active in various state veterinary associations and was a past president of the Eastern Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, board member of Iowa Veterinary Association and lifetime member of American Veterinary Medical Association.

One of Ed's greatest interests outside of his family and veterinary work was flying. A private pilot, he owned and flew a Cessna 195, the "family bus," for flights in the midwest, south and southwest U.S., and as far north as Timmons, Ontario, in Canada. He later converted the same plane to fly sport parachute jumpers for a few summers based out of the Tipton airport.

Ed is survived by his wife, Lenora, married for nearly 64 years; sons, Thomas (Kathy Long) of Poulsbo, Wash., and Bradford (Janet Allison) of San Diego, Calif.; daughters, Kristin (Richard Morgan) of Belmont, Calif., and Kymberly (Charles Cuda) of Lafayette, Calif.; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and sisters, Laura Varney of Manhattan, Kan., and Klonda Speer of Princeton, N.J.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Dorcas Severence.

Ed was devoted to his family, and beloved by his veterinary colleagues and many friends.

Memorials may be made to Stanwood Union Church, or choice of the donor.