William R. Speaks Sr Leesville, SC N/A Age Approx. Date of Death N/A 12/23/2007 Notice William R. Speaks Sr. M.D. LEESVILLE ù Graveside services for William R. Speaks Sr. M.D., 85, will be conducted at eleven a.m. Wednesday, December 26, 2007, in Leesville Cemetery on North Lee Street in Leesville, with the Reverend Dr. Lonnie Shull officiating. Pall bearers will be grandsons and family friend, Lamar Speach. Visitation will be from one to four p.m. Monday at his home. Memorials may be made to ôThe Taylor A. Cox Memorial Endowment Scholarshipö in care of Clemson Fund, Clemson University, P.O. Box 1889, Clemson, SC 29633 (notated for ôTaylor Cox Memorial Endowed Scholarshipö). Barr-Price Funeral Home, Historic B-L Chapel is assisting the family. Dr. Speaks passed away Sunday, December 23, 2007, at his home. Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Elsie Hollis Speaks; daughters and sons-in-law, Susan ôSueö and Ira Ruff of Leesville, Beth S. McGill of Leesville, Jane and Emile Cochet Jr. of Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, Frances and Mike Cox of Lexington; sons and daughters-in-law, William R. ôBobö Speaks Jr. and Beth Speaks of Lexington, and Barry James Speaks of Leesville; sister, Geraldine Sanders of Fairfax; eleven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a grandson, Taylor A. Cox. Dr. Speaks was born March 11, 1922, in Fairfax, SC, son of W.J. and Ritchie Chovin Speaks. He graduated from the Citadel and was drafted along with the entire class of 1943. He was an infantry platoon leader in Third Army and promoted to Captain, fought through Europe including the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded the Combat InfantrymanÆs badge. He was presented the Bronze Star for heroic achievement on March 11, 1945, his twenty-third birthday. On his return from the war he completed his medical studies at the Medical College of South Carolina at Charleston. He interned at Columbia Hospital and opened his practice of medicine in Leesville, SC in 1952. He practiced medicine for fifty-two years, retiring in June 2003. Poor health prevented Dr. Speaks from enjoying his love of gardening, fishing, hunting and working in his outdoor kitchen and his work shed. Tri County Hospice and Dr. Black at Internal Medicine Associates, Debbie Moses, Della Gantt, and Seria Cannon deserve special thanks for the help and support provided the to Speaks family during the past year.
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