Marriot Hotel Overland Park, Kansas August 12 - Sons of Union ...

KANSAS REMEMBERS
ERCELLE E. SPEAKS, PNP
JUNE 5, 1916 – MARCH 9, 2010
and
DEAN K. SPEAKS, PDC
JULY 25, 1957 – MARCH 8, 2010
In a period of two day in March of 2010, Kansas lost two long-time
members of the Allied Orders of the Grand Army of the Republic. On Monday,
March 8, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Past Department Commander
Dean K. Speaks passed away at his home in Salina, Kansas. In less than twentyfour
hours, his mother, Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic Past National
President Ercelle E. Speaks joined him in the arms of their Savior.
Both had devoted much of their lives to the Allied Orders. Brother Dean
was directly responsible for the re-establishment of the Department of Kansas,
SUVCW, in 1996. He served as National Membership at Large Coordinator in the
1990’s, and was awarded the "Cornelius F. Whitehouse Award" as the "National
Member of the Year" in 1996. Dean was one of the first brothers of the
Department of Kansas to be awarded “Emeritus” status.
Sister Ercelle served in many posts at both the Department and National
level with the LGAR, culminating with her service as National President in 1994-
1995. The Kansas LGAR had previously honored her with the naming of its
newest circle as the Ercelle Speaks Circle in Johnson County, Kansas.
It had been the dream of Brother Dean and his mother that Kansas would
host a National Encampment. Dean was looking forward to being at this very
encampment to renew old acquaintances. There would not be a Department of
Kansas, nor this encampment within the Kansas borders if Brother Dean had not
had a vision.
We will miss them both, but, as long as there is a Department of Kansas,
they will always be with us. As we attend this National Encampment, and as we
walk among our Brothers from throughout this country, know full-well that
Brother Dean’s and Sister Ercelle’s spirits are walking here with us.
ii
Page 4 of 527