Phylis "Irene" Speakman

Phylis “Irene” Speakman, 71, passed away Sunday, February 11, 2018 at Lutheran Hospital with her family by her side. She was born on August 28, 1946, the daughter of the late Charles R. and Edna L. Griffith. She graduated from Warren High School, Warren, Indiana in 1964 and attended nursing school in Indianapolis where she received her LPN degree in nursing. She began her nursing career at the Warren Methodist Home in Warren and later moved to Bluffton where she continued her career at Caylor Nickel Hospital. She married the love of her life, James “Jim” D. Speakman in 1984 and they settled in Ossian, IN until a career move transferred them to Appleton, WI and later on to Norfolk, VA. After retirement, she and Jim retired back home to Ossian where she enjoyed spending time with her kids and grandkids. They were the glow in her eyes and she regularly told them how proud she was of them. She enjoyed attending all the events of her grandkids, including football games, track and wrestling meets and the marching and concert band performances. She was their biggest fan! She was a gifted artist and loved to sketch and oil paint beautiful canvas pieces that she gifted to family and friends. She enjoyed handcrafting birthday cards. Each card was a treasured gift as she took her time and put her loving touches and message within each. She also loved crossword puzzles and enjoyed crocheting hats for cancer patients for Stitches of Hope. Everyone in the family received her handcrafted gifts of an afghan, scarf or hat. She loved visiting the beaches at Outer Banks, North Carolina with family and feeding the seagulls. She is survived by her husband, James D. Speakman; daughter, Kim (Ron) Carpenter of Ossian; son, Todd (Edna) Neidlinger of St. Louis, MO; grandchildren, Jake, Cole and Tierre Carpenter, and Cheyenne, Rolando and Gigi Green; and brother Terry Griffith of Bluffton. Funeral service will be 11:00 am on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Funeral Home, 120 West Mill St., Ossian with visitation beginning at 9:00 am. Burial will be at Covington Memorial Garden Cemetery, Fort Wayne. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana or Glioblastoma Foundation.