Nancy Carter Speck

With her ever impeccable sense of timing for big moments, and with family beside her, mom headed to Heaven to be with her mother and brother as the first rays of sunshine were peeking through on Easter morning, March 31 of 2024.

Born in San Antonio, Texas, on October 8, 1939, Dr. Nancy Carter Speck was raised on a beautiful ranch in Blanco County. She had a great number of family adventures as a young girl that are stories we still share. In particular, she was the Carter family champion finder of arrowheads that populated a great number of Mason jars in our Grandmother’s house. When mom wasn’t busy pursuing arrowheads, she spent her time playing the piano for Blanco United Methodist Church and local civic organizations.

Her lifelong love of education and teaching hit high gear at an early age. Upon graduating from Kerrville Tivy High School in 1958 where she was the Antler’s energetic Drum Major, she was accepted to the University of Texas Plan II liberal arts program and graduated in 1961.

Mom began her professional career as an elementary school teacher in the special education program for the mentally challenged in Galveston in the early 1960s. Upon moving to the U.S. Naval Air Station Port Lyautey in Kenitra, Morocco, she taught high school where her students were the children of Department of Defense personnel. After Morocco, life took her back to the U.S. and landed her in Philadelphia. There she taught at the Julia R. Masterman school while continuing her own education at night and on the weekends to earn her Master of Education from Temple University in 1971.

Next, she was off to Guam where she taught at the University of Guam and was a Swim Team mom and timekeeper. After Guam, mom made her final move to our wonderful home of Nacogdoches. She would spend her next 51 years here.

She was just thirty-three years old when she began teaching at Stephen F. Austin State University in the School of Education. Soon, she would again continue her own educational advancement by earning her Doctorate of Education from the Texas Woman’s University in 1978.

After earning her Doctorate, she returned to SFA to teach in the School of Business and eventually moved into the administration arena of SFA. She was an outstanding Director of Development, and rapidly rose to the rank of Vice-President of University Advancement. She had a long and successful career representing the University in political and public affairs across the state as well as in Austin and Washington. Mom loved every minute she worked for SFA.

Among mom’s many civic activities, she was appointed to the Deep East Texas Mental Health/Mental Retardation Board, now known as Burke, and where she continued to serve on the Board of Trustees. She made a lasting impact that helped so many. She was President of the Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce. She was a founder and significant influence in the success of the Texas Lyceum. She was also among the founders of the Nacogdoches Heritage Festival. She was a member of Alpha Delta Pi, the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, National Society Daughters of the American Colonists, National Society United States Daughters of 1812, and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Among her many honors, she was bestowed the Nacogdoches Citizen of the Year and East Texan of the Year Awards. She was a particularly great Cub Scout Den Mother, and was a constant at both of her children’s sporting and civic activities. She was also a mentor and good friend to many.

We miss her.

Mom was predeceased by her mother, Myrtle King Carter, father, Lee Roy Carter, and brother, John Browning Carter. She was also predeceased by her husband Alonzo Livingston Mangham.

She is survived by her son Arthur Leo Speck, Jr. (Elizabeth), daughter Virginia Lee Speck Amason (Thomas) and her five grandchildren: Cathryn Carter Speck, Arthur Leo Speck III, Edith King Amason, Thomas Gilbert Amason IV, and Emily Browning Amason.

In particular, the family wants to thank our great friend and mom’s, Shuwanda Williams, and the entire team at Magnolia Court who went above and beyond to take such great care of her.

A celebration of life service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 26th, at the First United Methodist Church with visitation following.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorial gifts be made to the: Dr. Nancy C. Speck Development Award Fund, P.O. Box. 6092, SFA Station, Nacogdoches, Texas, 75962-6092.