Benton Speer

Funeral services for Benton Speer, age 83, husband, father and grandfather (PawPaw), of rural Marquez were held at 11:00 A.M. Friday in the Walters Funeral Home Chapel in Centerville. Gene Darby officiated and interment followed in the Clear Creek Cemetery.

Benton Speer was born on December 12, 1926 in Concord, Texas to Ben Thomas & Iva (Seale) Speer. He was in the U.S. Army stationed in Seoul, Korea. Mr. Speer worked as a pipefitter for Alcoa. He was also a rancher & cattleman. Mr. Speer was known to many as “Hungry Hobo.” He was the “self appointed” Mayor of Quito and the creator of many famous “Pawpawisms.” Mr. Speer was a special guest consultant to Purina Mills at their St. Louis facility and was the longest living artificial aorta valve recipient (45 years in September).

In Sept. of 1965, Benton underwent an artificial aorta valve replacement by the hands of Dr. Denton Cooley. In 1994, some 29 years after his first open heart surgery, the valve had to be replaced, and Dr. Cooley again did the honors. Throughout the years, besides the two major open heart surgeries, Speer has undergone at least 23 heart catheterizations, suffered three heart attacks, had several little mini strokes, been through three pace makers, seven stints, had two defibrillators put in, and, just last year, survived a very serious blood infection that required 6 weeks of intravenous antibiotics while hospitalized. In 1990, KBTX covered the Celebration of Life held in honor of the 25th anniversary of his first surgery.

Mr. Speer also served on the Board of Directors for Buffalo Hospital and was a member of the Marquez Church of Christ. He passed away on Tuesday evening at his home.

Survivors include wife, Billie (Ellison) Speer of Marquez; daughters, Belinda (Speer) Morris & husband, Rick and Becki (Speer Willis) & husband, Roger, both of Marquez; twin brother, Lenton Speer & wife, Irene of Marquez; grandchildren, Britany (Morris) Wingfield & husband, David, Ben Morris & wife, Michelle, Winter (Willis) Adams & husband, Jerry, Cody Morris & wife, Jessika & Laramie Willis & fiancé, Casey Winkler; great grandchildren, Jaxon, Dixie & Braxton Morris, Korbin, Kennedi & Kambri Adams & Dawson and Carson Wingfield and brothers-in-law & sisters-in-law, Henry Dean Ellison & wife, Mamilyn of LaGrange, Hugo Ellison & wife, Pansy of Marquez & Hartense Rodgers & husband, Leslie of Austin.

Pallbearers were L.C. Wall, Ralph Price, James "Toady" Neyland, Jerry Burnette, Tim Speer, Leslie Rodgers, Hugo Ellison & Henry Dean Ellison.

Honorary pallbearers were be Roger Willis, Lenton Speer, Rick Morris, Ben Morris, Cody Morris, Laramie Willis, Jerry Adams, David Wingfield, Kennith Ray & Greg McMichael.

Walters Funeral Home in Centerville, Texas is in charge of all arrangements. Please log onto www.waltersfuneralhome. com to sign the online guestbook and view a video memorial tribute.