Obit: Speich, Katherine #2 (1923 - 2013)

Contact: Audrey Roedl
Email: audrey@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Speich, Perman, Ozbolt, Haley, Berchem, Martens

----Source: The Loyal TRG (Loyal, Clark County, WI) 29 May 2013

Speich. Katherine (06 Oct. 1923-24 May 2013)

Katherine E. Speich, 89, Greenwood, died on Friday, May 24, 2013, at Stoney River Assisted, Marshfield. Funeral services were held atnoon, on Wednesday, May 29, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Greenwood, Rev. Joseph Follmar and Rev. Eric Burns officiated. Burial followed in St. Mart’s Catholic Cemetery. Pallbearers were Joe Maass, Allen Steffen, Gregory Tomac, Jerry Speich, Nick Kitzhaber and John Meisner.


Katherine Elizabeth Perman was born on Oct. 6, 1923, in Greenwood, the daughter of Daniel and Julia (nee Ozbolt) Perman. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Greenwood, and attended Greenwood area schools, graduating from Greenwood High School in 1941. Kay worked in Chicago from 1941-43, and then entered St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Chicago, graduating in February 1946. On April 3, 1948, she married the love of her life, John. D. Speich, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Greenwood. The family farm north of Greenwood was their life with their children for more than 50 years. Kay worked as a registered nurse, first at Memorial Hospital in Neillsville for more than 20 years, and then at the Clark County Health Care Center for more than 20 years. Kay and her husband later sold the family farm to their son, Bill, who continues to work and run it today. Kay loved to bake and cook. She was in the kitchen for countless hours and making more food than all of her family could eat in one sitting. She loved to travel to the casinos in the area and also had fun visiting her family across the state. Kay and John D. loved the Greenwood High School sports teams and they had their own reserved seats for the games. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and a member and past president of St. Ann’s Society: a member and past president of the Greenwood American Legion Auxiliary for 62 years; and was a leader of the Greenwood Satellites 4-H Club.

Kay is survived by five children, Marion Haley, Avondale, Ariz., Bill Speich, Greenwood, Michael (Patti) Speich, Wisconsin Rapids, Margaret (husband Steven Berchem) Speich, Bethesda, Md., and Diane (Mike) Martens, Orangevale, Calif.; one daughter-in-law, Starla Speich, Vacaville, Calif.; seven grandchildren, Brehon (Keith) Hoffman, Wisconsin Rapids, Emmy Speich, Milwaukee, Sean (Lauren) Haley, Tempe, Ariz., Mara (Justin) Seigel, Surprise, Ariz. Emily Berchem, Bethesda, Md., and Sage Speich and Brooke Speich, Vacaville, Calif.; three great great grandchildren, Katlynn Hoffman, Tarren Hoffman and Sutton Seigel; one sister, Margaret (Herb) Meisner; New Berlin; one sister-in-law, Virginia Perman, St. Paul, Minn.; one brother-in-law, Robert Speich, Wisconsin; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John D. Speich on Nov. 15, 2010; one son Thomas Speich, on Oct. 28, 2010; four sisters, Mary Maass, Dede Nerbun, Christine Hemersbach and Ann Steffen; and two brothers, Vic Perman and Joe Tomac.

A memorial donation in honor of Kay will be made by the family at a later date.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.cuddiefh.com.

Cuddie Funeral Home, Greenwood, assisted the family with arrangements.