Debra L. Speake's Obituary
Debra Lea Rutherford Speake, 63, slipped away from this earth on Saturday, January 31, 2015 at Memorial Hermann Hospital with almost all of her closest family by her side. Her body finally failed her but you all should be assured that her spirit was feisty and determined up to her very last breath. She left us all quite reluctantly indeed.
Debbie was born in Houston, Texas on August 20, 1951 to O.W. and Maurine Rutherford. She grew up on Lisa Lane with a bunch of girls up and down the street who remain her friends to this day. Like all of her family, she started working at the Montgomery Wards store across from Palm Center as soon as she turned 16. After graduating from Jesse H. Jones High School in 1969, Deb attended San Jacinto Junior College, and then she began working at the Houston Police Department in both Records and Dispatch. Following that, she worked at the Harris County District Attorney’s office. She loved being privy to the heartbeat of the action in Houston in those days. Deb moved to Oregon in 1986 and seemed to take jobs that were appropriate for someone whose last name was “Speake”. She worked at an answering service, an alarm company, as a switchboard operator at Portland's Oregon Health Sciences University, and at a clinic at Shriner's Hospital. She enjoyed meeting people from every walk of life, often becoming their friend right there on the spot. Deb loved her family, her friends, and life itself, no matter what it had in store for her. She loved singing anytime and would certainly like it to be publicly noted that she had a wonderful singing voice. She especially enjoyed singing Karaoke out in public, talking on the phone, laughing, watching her soap operas, drinking Coke, and eating Blue Bell ice cream, Vermont Maid maple syrup, and Whataburger (not all at once). Deb loved asking for advice from everyone about one thing or another, and then totally doing whatever she wanted to in the first place, no matter what. It should surprise none of us that she also loved Elvis, Barbra Streisand, and all the other crooners we grew up with. Deb liked to belt it out with the best of ‘em.
Debbie was mother to two children she loved with all of her heart and with absolutely no strings attached, son Toby Christopher Speake and daughter Maurie Elizabeth Speake. She was “Mimi” to two grandchildren, Chloe Noelle Speake and Lane Douglas Speake. Chloe lived with Deb her entire life, and it is safe to say that Chloe lighted up her Mimi’s eyes like no one else could. Besides her children and grandchildren, Debbie is also survived by sisters Judy Hawthorn (Earl), Patricia Smith (Bill), Kay Mathiesen (Johan); and brothers Michael Porter (Pat) and Patrick Porter (Lynn). She was Aunt Deb to many nieces and nephews as well.
A memorial service will be held for Debbie on Monday, February 9, 2015 at 12:30 PM at the South Park Cemetery Chapel in Pearland. She will be laid to rest in peace right next to her momma and daddy forever, considering it her finest hour that she got to see them before any of the rest of us. Deb leaves behind a large contingent of family and friends who will always remember her kind heart, her laughter, her fondness for gossip, and her sweet soul. She will be loved and missed always.
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