Ruth Ilene Speer, 86, of Memphis, Missouri, died Sunday morning, January 26, 2014, at the Scotland County Hospital in Memphis. She was born on July 17, 1927, in rural Scotland County, Missouri, to Charles Everett and Verna Lucinda Self Bryant. The family was among the original settlers of Scotland County. Ruth was raised in Memphis and graduated from Memphis High School, Class of 1946. She married Wayne Otis Speer in Davis County, Iowa, on August 1, 1951, by Wayne's uncle, Reverend Glen Speer and to this union two children were born. Ruth worked as a nurse's aide at the Scotland County Hospital for thirty years, retiring at the age of eighty. She enjoyed cooking, polka music and especially performances by the Heritage Band. Her favorite holiday was Christmas and she especially enjoyed viewing the decorations and lighting tours. She was of the opinion that one could never have too many cookbooks or too many clocks. In her teen years she was the roller skating champion of Missouri, of which she was very proud. In her later years, during the summer, she casually entertained groups of friends on her front porch nearly every evening. Ruth was a member of the First Christian Church in Memphis. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Wayne, on October 7, 1987 and a brother, Paul Everett Bryant. She is survived by her daughter, Jane Butler, of Malvern, Iowa and a son, Steven Speer, of Milton, Iowa. Also surviving are five grandchildren: Justin Butler and his wife, Alicia, of Des Moines, Iowa; Jessica Burdic and her husband, Jay, of Malvern, Iowa; Holly Sullivan and her husband, Ethan, of Milton, Iowa; Steve Speer and his fiancé, Elisa Gerber, of Omaha, Nebraska and Eric Speer of Milton, Iowa; four great grandchildren: Trenton Butler, Emersyn Burdic, Brandon Callas, Beau Burdic and nieces, nephews and friends.