05/22/2011
Name: Elmer Leonard Speer
Birth: 3 May 1922
Birth Place: Marion County, Iowa
Spouse: Helen Tadewald
Death: 22 May 2011
Death Place: Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana
Cemetery: Montana State Veterans Cemetery
Elmer Leonard Speer, 89, of Helena passed away May 22, 2011, at his home in Helena. Elmer was born in Marion County, Iowa.
He attended grade school and graduated from high school in Knoxville, Iowa, in 1940. He enlisted in the United States Navy during WWII and was honorably discharged. On Nov. 18, 1944, Elmer and Helen Tadewald were married in Guthrie, Okla. To this marriage, three daughters were born: Synthia Kay, Dara Lynn, and Sandra Ann.
Helen preceded him in death on June 11, 1997.
Following his discharge from military service, Elmer returned to Montana and worked in Lewistown until 1948, when he moved his family to Helena. In Helena, Elmer worked as an auditor for the Bureau of Reclamation and later the state auditor’s office for 16 years, retiring in the late 1960s.
He was a member and served as secretary and past master of Morning Star Lodge 5 A.F. & A.M., member and past master of Ottawa Lodge 51 A.F. & A.M., member and three-time past master of Lincoln Lodge 157 A.F. & A.M., Josephine Hepner 89 Order of Eastern Star, and York Rite Bodies, where he served as grand officer in all three bodies.
On Aug. 1, 1998, Elmer and Irma Eslick were married at the East Helena United Methodist Church.
In addition to his first wife, Helen, Elmer was preceded in death by two brothers and three sisters.
Elmer is survived by his wife, Irma of Helena; daughters and sons-in-law, Synthia (Rodney) Vollertson of Helena, Dara (Steve) Smith of Helena, and Sandra (Dave) Smith of Helena; sister, Ida Mae Morris of Des Moines, Iowa; stepsons, Gordon (Sharon) Eslick of Helena and John Robert (Christy) Eslick of Baltimore; three grandchildren, Troy Vollertson, Rishay Vollertson, and Jared Smith; step-grandchildren, Katie, Jordan, Aaron, Amanda, Cory and John Jr. Eslick; numerous great-grandchildren; and special friends, Kenneth (Paula) Holman of Great Falls.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 27, at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home. Burial with military honors will follow at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.aswfuneralhome.com.