Gilda F. Speegle

Gilda was born in Crane Hill, Alabama on August 3, 1930 to Edgar Romulus and Sarah Mettie Wood Williford, and was the youngest of six daughters. Her parents ran the local general store and Gilda’s childhood was spent galavanting around Cullman County with her sisters, who affectionately called her “Bubbles”, much to her chagrin. Gilda attended Cullman High School and Sacred Heart College in Cullman before going on to work as a secretary at Samford University for many years.

Gilda met the love of their life, Duell Speegle while attending Cullman High School and the pair were inseparable ever since. Excited to start their new lives together, the two were married on February 2, 1951 and spent 67 years together before her beloved Duell passed away in 2018. Over those 67 years, the pair rarely spent a day apart, whether it be traveling the world on Whirlpool trips, weekends spent at Duell’s family farm or spending time with their daughters and grandchildren.

Gilda and Duell were blessed with three daughters; Pam, Marcia and Melanie. She cherished her close relationships with her daughters. Gilda was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, spending the bulk of her life supporting and nurturing her children and grandchildren.

Gilda was an active member of Shades Crest Baptist Church. There was nothing she loved more than her Sundays spent at church, whether attending service or Sunday School classes. Her devotion to her faith was one of the guiding principles of her life and it was evident in how she treated those around her.

Gilda was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Duell, her five older sisters, and her granddaughter, Natalie Huett. She is survived by her daughters, Pam Hagan (David), Marcia Powers (Tim), and Melanie Fickling (Mike); Grandchildren Stephaine Haile (Jeremy), Matthew Powers (Monica), Allison Moseley (Walker), Micheal Powers (Neli), Anna Henderson, Stephen Powers (Alejandra), Turner Henderson, Matthew and Emily Fickling; Great-grandchildren Jacob, Josh and Sarah Haile, Cashman and Elke Powers, Frances and Thomas Moseley, Alex Powers and her special niece Janice Haley.

The family would like to especially thank the team of sitters and Expect Care Hospice nurses for helping tend to Gilda in her final days - your tender care for our mother and support for the whole family is so appreciated.

In lieu of flowers, donations to New Life Warehouse [online or 10741 Travistock Drive, Tampa, FL, 33626] would be greatly appreciated.

New Life Warehouse was founded by Gilda’s granddaughter and is a volunteer-led Christian organization that helps those in need in the Tampa Bay Community by delivering donated furniture and household goods to foster families, trafficking victims, clients who are transitioning out of homelessness, refugee families who are placed in housing, and others who are starting over in a new place.