Tommy Louis Speck, 73, of Caldwell, Texas, passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, July 22, 2024, to be with our Lord and Savior.
A public visitation was held on Sunday, July 28, 2024, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Caldwell, Texas.
A funeral service was held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 29, 2024, at Elizabeth Lutheran Church.
Interment followed at Elizabeth Lutheran Cemetery with graveside tribute services officiated by Reverend Richard Brunk.
Tommy Louis Speck was born on June 21, 1951, to Harvey Speck and Mable Hopkins Speck Richardson in Houston, Texas. He was the middle child of the three children.
The family moved to the Livingston, Texas, area where he went to school and graduated from Livingston High School.
After a long distance courtship, Tommy married Karen Schulle on July 20, 1974, in Harlingen, Texas.
They first made their home in Bryan, Texas, and later moved to Caldwell in 1983, where they raised their children, Jason and Jamie.
Tommy commuted back and forth to work in Bryan, while working for Rheem for almost 20 years and then at Kent Moore Cabinets.
He enjoyed woodworking, from making cabinets to dance floors, gun cabinets to furniture.
Tommy was the Boy Scout Master of Troop 180 in Caldwell, Texas, for many years. He loved teaching the boys and taking them camping. He helped several Boy Scouts achieve the rank of Eagle Scout while he served, including his son Jason.
Tommy’s life revolved around church and his family. He spent time on the church council at Elizabeth Lutheran Church serving in any capacity that he could help with.
Tommy also taught adult and youth Sunday school, and was also a sponsor for the youth group. His favorite part was taking them camping in the summer to watch them bond with nature, each other, and God.
He volunteered at the Elizabeth Lutheran Food Pantry, helping Jason and other members of the church build the playground for Jason’s Eagle Scout project.
His gentle nature and kind spirit had a calming effect on many people at work and in the community.
This also helped with his cattle, where he loved to spend most of his free time.
Tommy started learning about cattle when he was young, helping his dad at the farm, then later worked at auction barns when he got older.
This eventually led him to start hauling cattle all over Texas and other states. He really loved working with his animals.
Tommy was so proud to be able to follow his children and grandchildren around while they were in school at different events. From Jamie’s state title in volleyball, to Jason’s drumming, to watching the Balcars on the football field, he loved to reminisce about those days, and would share them with anyone that would listen.
Tommy Speck was a man that loved his family, his church, his community, and his animals.
He loved the Lord, and lived a life he was proud of. His family was blessed to have such a hard working, dedicated, loving man to share life with.
He will be greatly missed by all who knew him, and he will always be remembered with loving thoughts and memories of treasured times spent together.
Tommy was preceded in death by his parents, Harvey Speck and Mable Hopkins Speck Richardson.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Karen Speck; son, Jason Speck and wife, Melinda, of Youngsville, Louisiana, and children Madeline and Andrew Speck; daughter and son-in-law, Jamie and Bradly Balcar of Deanville, Texas, and children, Nathan and Travis Balcar, Nathan’s wife, Kassidy Balcar, along with his only great-grandchild, Jackson Balcar. Tommy is also survived by his brother and sister-inlaw, Gayle and Sandy Speck of Manvel, Texas; his sister and brother-inlaw, Rebecca and Wayne Harvey of New Caney, Texas, as well as his nephew, Gayle Lee Speck Jr. and wife, Jennifer, of Friendswood, Texas, and children, Lauren and Cannon Speck; nephew, Ty Harvey and Darryl Rutherford of Cleveland, Texas, and daughter, Kaydence; Niece, Meladee and husband, Luke Slade, of Huffman, Texas, and children, Madison and Tate Slade. Madison and husband James Dinaso and child, Mason, of Willis, Texas, and many cousins.
Honoring Tommy as pallbearers were Gayle Lee Speck Jr., Ty Harvey, Luke Slade, Nathan Balcar, Travis Balcar and Andrew Speck.
The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to Remarkable Hospice of College Station for thier dedication and care for Tommy. Special thanks to caretaker, Tamara Ralph, who had a true connection with Tommy.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the Elizabeth Lutheran Church Building Fund at P.O. Box 675 Caldwell, Texas 77836.
Express condolences at PhillipsandLuckey.com.
PHILLIPS & LUCKEY FUNERAL HOME 404 W. Buck St. Caldwell, Tx 77836 979-567-3232