Helen Charlyne Speaker's Obituary
Helen Charlyne Tucker was born February 20, 1921 in Cushing, Oklahoma to Mary Belle Berry Tucker. In her family of 8 children, she was the youngest. Her mother was sick with cancer and died when she was about eleven years old, so, she was raised by her older brothers and sisters. Charlyne was a graduate of Cushing High School and was a member of the Yell/ Spirit Team. After graduation from high school and while living with a sister in Cushing, she met a young man named Jess Willard Speaker. He was older and she knew him because he and his brothers had been considered hero’s in Cushing High School. He asked one of her girlfriends to introduce them, he walked her home and three weeks later on August 3, 1938 they were married in Chandler, OK. She was 17 and he was 21. They resided in Cushing and on December 15, 1939 their first child, a daughter, Karen Ann Speaker, was born. On November 25, 1942 while living in Fort Worth, Texas a son, Jess Willard “Sandy” Speaker II, was born. WWII was raging, so they moved back to Cushing where J.W. “Sandy” Speaker, Sr. joined the Marines and went to war in the Pacific with the 1st Marine Division. Charlyne stayed behind and took care of raising, feeding and caring for their two young children. She learned she was a very strong woman. When Sandy Sr returned from the war in 1946, they moved to Shawnee, OK and a year later a third child, Paula Jo Speaker was born, on February 25, 1947. The Speaker family lived in many places but in 1956 moved to Irving, Texas and purchased a house, where Karen, Sandy and Paula all graduated from Irving High School. The family became members of the First Baptist Church of Irving. In later years both Charlyne and Sandy, Sr were members of Bro. Henry Kincaide’s adult class. Charlyne worked for Dr. Thomas P. Murphy, Pediatrician and retired after 20 years. J.W. Sandy died on Nov. 7, 1998 in Irving, Texas and is buried in Restland Memorial Cemetery. Charlyne will be buried next to Sandy and they will be together again. Charlyne is survived by her children, Karen Ann James and her husband John Wm James I, J.W. Sandy Speaker, II and his wife, Nancy Speaker and Paula Jo Anderson and her husband, Bob Anderson; grandchildren, James B. Wynn, John William James II, Terri Lynn James, Susan Lee James Noval, Jess Willard Speaker, III, Taren Elizibeth Speaker Hill, Erin Anderson; great-grandchildren, John William James III, Brittany Bailey, Blaise Richard, Juan Andres’ Noval, Jessica Speaker, Jess Willard Speaker IV, Ethan Anderson and Evan Anderson; great-great grandchildren, Braedon Richard, Abbie Phillips and Stonie Bailey; nieces, Suzanne Coyne and JoJeanne London; nephews, Dave Coyne, Jim Atha, Jim Speaker and Bobby Speaker. The family will receive friends Monday, March 27, 2017 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, at Restland Funeral Home. The funeral service for Charlyne Speaker will be held at 12:30 PM, Tuesday, March 28, 2017 in The Wildwood Chapel at Restland and graveside at about 1:30 PM. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, at Restland Road, Dallas, TX 75243.
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