Elmer W. Speers

Elmer W. Howard Speers, 81, of Royalton, died at 8:52 a.m. Saturday, February 5, 2000 at the Marshall Browning Hospital in DuQuoin.
Mr. Speers was born August 5, 1918 in Mulkeytown to Roy and Clare (Price) Speers.
He is survived by his nephew and his wife, Kenneth and Lidiette Hammond of Springfield; two grandnephews, Arlin Fritz of Dwight and Karl Hammond of Chicago and a grandniece, Kendra hammond of Chicago and several cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant brother, Roger Speers and two sisters, Eileen Hammond and Daisy Piquard.
Mr. Speers was a Navy veteran of World War II.  He was a lifetime member of the Royalton VFW and Hurst American Legion Post 664.  He was a member of the Hurst Masonic Loge 1004.
He retired in 1980 from Republic Steel in Chicago and was a member of the United Steel Workers Union.
Funeral services for Mr. Speers were held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 12 at Vantrease Funeral Home in Royalton with Reverend Jack Smith officiating.  Burial was at Mulkeytown Cemetery with military rites by the Hurst American Legion.  Visiting hours were after 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home until the time of services where Masonic rites were held at 12 p.m. 
Memorial donations in memory of Mr. Speers may be made to the donors choice of charities.
