Gelea Speck

Gelea Morris Speck (nee Karraker), 83, of Waterloo, died Oct. 31, 2018, in Waterloo.

She was born May 7, 1935, in Cairo, daughter of the lateWard and Dorothy Karraker of Cairo.

Gelea grew up in Cairo, graduated from Arizona State University and brought her family to Waterloo to teach English at Waterloo High School from 1968 until she retired in 2002.

She enjoyed being a member of Sister Cities of Portaloo, Monroe County Retired Teachers Association, and the Red Hat Society. 

She had a great love of traveling and with her husband, Gordon, had seen much of the world. 

Gelea is survived by her children Blaze (Rhonda) Morris, Kelly (Rick) Shilliday, Robin (Clay) Siedle, Tracy (Tom Van Buren) Morris, Lance (Mary) Morris, Candace (Karl) Buckman and Shaleen (Kevin) Grabill; grandchildren Aubrey (Sean)  O’Reilly, Kayla (Dave) Keeney, Jake (Raakhi) Morris, Austin Morris, Coley (Jeff) Hoffmann, Zach Buckman, Sophie Morris, Isaac Buckman, Theo Grabill and Raleigh Grabill; five great-grandchildren; her brother Kenneth ( Donna ) Karraker of Vancouver, Wa., sister Marilyn Satterfield of Memphis, Tenn.; and nieces, nephews, her best friend Gloria Linnertz and her cat, Sam.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Gordon Speck.

A memorial visitation is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 4, at Quernheim Funeral Home, Waterloo.

A memorial service will follow at 1 p.m. Nov. 4, at the funeral home, Pastor Michael Southcombe officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorials and contributions can be made to National Parkinson’s Foundation or Family Hospice, Belleville.