Jack Wesley Speakman, “Captain Jack”, 95, passed away Sunday, February 12th in Raymore, MO. Jack was born on December 18, 1921 in Fort Scott, KS, to Golda Alice (Hall) and Glendon Clyde Speakman. When Jack was 5 years of age, Jack's parents and older Sister Glenda moved to Kansas City, Missouri where Jack’s father had landed a position as a Sales Manager at one of Kansas City’s top companies, Butler Manufacturing. They purchased a beautiful home in Kansas City's Brookside neighborhood. Jack said his father, while continuing to work at Butler Manufacturing, purchased land in Greenwood, MO., and remembers they called it the "horse farm” and spent a lot of time there in his childhood. The American Royal Arena held horse shows frequently and Jack remembers his dad having won several awards for his show horses. Jack said he remembers him and his older sister Glenda going to the horse farm and watching their father at work with his hobby while they were growing up.
In 1936, Jack entered Southwest High School. Jack’s parents went through a divorce and by the fall of 1937, Jack entered into Riverside Academy in Gainesville, GA. When Jack was asked what stood out to him about military school, he said he learned a lot about discipline which ultimately benefited him when drafted to World War II. In 1938, Jack’s mother and older sister moved to Miami, FL. They rented a house and Jack attended high school in Miami. They stayed in Miami for the season. In June of 1939, Jack, his mother, and sister moved back to Kansas City. Jack's mother had rented an apartment in Kansas City's Country Club Plaza area. By the fall of 1939, Jack didn’t return to Southwest High School because he was no longer in the geographical boundaries. He then attended Westport High where he met his life-long best friends who called themselves the “Brat Pack.”
In the summer of 1939, Jack and some friends went to a dance party where there were teens from several area high schools. There, he met Margaret “Jean” Richeson who was attending Loretto Academy, and they began courting. Jack spent his senior year of high school dating Jean, and they fell deeply in love. They spent their time going to the theatre, dancing and going to the Kansas City River front on the weekends where they’d watch the drag races. Jack was a big fan of fast cars and in fact, never stopped enjoying a good race. Jack was an avid Nascar fan and enjoyed going to the Nascar races.
Jack graduated from Westport High in December, 1940. Jack and Jean’s relationship continued, and in the fall of 1941, Jack packed his bags and left for the University of Missouri for his college education. While at the University of Missouri, Jack joined the Alpha Tao Omega (ATO) fraternity. He enjoyed it very much and said one of his favorite memories was when he and his fraternity brothers would sing around a big dinner table. When the news of the bombing of Pearl Harbor spread, he said the fraternity house was silent as all of them huddled next to the radio to hear more about the start of World War II. There were many men in the fraternity who were in the Army Reserves, and they knew that soon they would be called to war, as the reserves were the first to go. As they continued to listen to the radio nightly, the war was becoming bigger than what they had ever imagined. They knew and were saddened that they would all likely be drafted within the next year.
In January of 1942, and after spending winter break in Kansas City, Jack returned to the fraternity house at MU. He was sadly told that already, three of his frat brothers had been called to duty, and that two of them had not made it. He said it was sad to see the empty chairs at the dinner table, and singing fun and quirky songs soon became singing in memory of their fallen brothers. By early February, the war was taking more young men and one by one they would leave to serve our country. Jack wanted to marry Jean before he was drafted to war. In early February, 1942, Jack drove to Kansas City, with bags in tow, and off they went, down Route 66 to Las Vegas, Nevada to wed. After they married, they moved to Los Angeles, CA, where Jack landed a job at Lockheed, an aircraft company.
In December, 1942, their first child was born, Sharon Jeanne. As they expected, Jack received his papers to go to war. Jack and Jean felt very lucky they were married and able to have their first child before Jack went to war. At that time, many men didn’t have the opportunity to marry their sweethearts and have children before they went to war. Jack was drafted into the Army Air Corps, which later became the United States Air force. He was drafted to the Air Corps because of his work experience at Lockheed. When Jack went to war, Jean and their daughter left California and moved back to Kansas City, to be closer to family.
Jack’s first year of service was intense training for an Officer ranking. This particular training sent him to locations like Florida, Connecticut, Georgia, New Mexico and California. After one year of Jack becoming an Officer, he was included in the top 10% of his class whom were selected to train at Yale University. At that time, Jack remembers Yale being run by the government, with what looked like more military classes than civilian. After completing Flight Engineering training at Yale, he was commissioned and sent to Georgia as an Engineering Officer and became a Flight Engineer of the B29 Bomber. Because of his training at Yale University, he was selected to instruct other Lieutenants on the mechanics of the B-29. By 1944, Jack and Jean’s second child was born, Roger Wesley.
In 1945, Jack was honorably discharged and remained in the reserves. In 1950, Jack and Jean gave birth to their 3rd child, Warren Russell “Rusty”. When the Korean conflict began Jack once again received his letter; however, this time, the Army Air Corps sent him home to care for his growing family instead of heading to Korea. Jack was in the reserves until 1950 and ended his military career as Captain. Thereafter, Jack began working in the steel industry in Kansas City, selling structural and sheet steel. He branched out to start his own business; giving him the position of Manufacturers Representative, selling supplies to manufacturing companies in the entire area in and around Kansas City.
By 1965, Jack and Jean had six children, the latter three named Jack Randall, Gregory Mark, and Kelly Jane. Jack continued to be self-employed, and they raised their children in Prairie Village, KS. They belonged to the Homestead Country Club and met many lifelong friends there. They had friends who owned a second home at the Lake of the Ozarks, MO where they visited several times each summer. They loved it so much that by the summer of 1970, Jack and Jean rented two cabins at Lake of the Ozarks and purchased a speed boat. By 1972, they had a speed boat and a day cruiser. Jack and Jean continued to love the lake and had many great times with their family and friends, they loved entertaining!
They purchased a larger home on the lake in 1975 where the family spent many more memorable years. Jack was a member of the Lake of the Ozarks Yachting club for several years, as well, and he had the first VHF radio and would patrol the annual Memorial Day parades. All who knew Jack - knew that boating was one of his favorite things to do. His children and grandchildren have fond memories of “Captain Jack” taking them for long boat rides when they were growing up, listening and singing along to Helen Reddy, Patsy Cline, Ray Charles, and many more.
In 1994, Jack’s wife of 52 years, and love of his life, passed away. Jack didn’t remarry and often said, “When you had the best, why settle” with a smile. By 2004, and at 82 years of age, Jack was invited to live with his daughter and son-in-law, Jim and Sharon Baker, in Loch Lloyd, MO. He continued to live there until his death. He loved living with them and often boasted about how lucky he was to have such a wonderful living situation. Some of Jack’s greatest adventures in his elder years were when he attended a United States Air Force reunion in 2005 in Florida, and also when he was thrilled to participate in a WWII Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., in June 2010. In 2011, his family members surprised him with a trip to Gardner, KS to see and experience the only flying B29 Bomber.
For the last 20 years of his employment, he represented Baker’s Marble. He was very appreciative the Baker’s gave him the opportunity to continue to do what he loved to do until the age of 90. He believed the reason he was able to work for so long was because he decided to eat right and exercise after his first heart attack in his late 50’s. Jack had a passion for exercise, and his 90th birthday party was held at the Gym in Loch Lloyd. Jack made many friends at the gym, and they often spoke of how impressed they were of Jack’s diligence in his exercise routine, being in his 90’s. Jack also enjoyed reading, especially about health and particularly any research on heart disease. He savored music; his friends and loved ones remember and appreciate him for the many different genres of music he loved.
Jack will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Family and friends remember Jack for his great sense of humor, his generosity and kindness, and his love for living life to the fullest. We will never forget his kind-hearted smile, his eyes which would light up when he greeted us, and his warm and endearing personality. Jack was a loving father, grandfather, husband and friend who touched all lives who knew him. Survivors include daughters Sharon Baker (Jim Baker) and Kelly Webb; sons Jack Speakman and Mark Speakman (Debbie Speakman); brother Glen Speakman (Mary Ann); 5 nieces and nephews; and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Jack is preceded in death by his wife; Jean Speakman, Sons; Rusty Speakman and Roger Speakman, Parents; Glendon Speakman, Golda Speakman, and Sister; Glenda Tippet.
A celebration of life will be held on April 1, 2017, at 10:00am at Johnson County Memorial Gardens Chapel, 11200 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association at www.heart.org.
Grandson of Glendale Tippett ,Santa Cruz ,California
