Dr.Stephen M.Speers;64;prominent Belle Vernon resident;and one of the district’s best known coal and coke operators;died suddenly Tuesday morning;April 23;1957;at 1:30 a.m. in the Allegheny General Hospital;Pittsburgh. Stricken by coronary occlusion early sunday morning;he was rushed to the Pittsburgh hospital;where he suffered another attack Monday night. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh Dental School;Dr.Speers practiced dentistry in Brownsville and Belle Vernon until 1917 when he entered the coal business. He also owned coke ovens and a
herd of Hereford cattle and
engaged in the gas drilling business.
Born in Speers Borough on July 8;1892; he
was a member of the Charleroi
Presbyterian Church and of the
Belle Vernon Rotary Club.
Surviving are his wife; Minerva; a son; Stephen M. Jr.;of
Belle Vernon; three daughters;
Mrs. Thomas G. (Torrance)
Etheridge of Detroit; Mich.; Mrs.William (Betty) Didrichsen of
Seattle; Wash.; and Mrs. Charles
(Patsy) Bradley of Drexel Hill;
near Philadelphia; seven grandchildren; two brothers; Ward of
Belle Vernon and Ray of Sandusky; Ohio; and two sisters; Mrs.
W. L. Lorimer of Coronado Beach;Fla.. and Mrs. D. A. Shoerke of Philadelphia. Mrs. Elizabeth
Miller; Fayelle National Bank
Bldg.; Uniontown; is a sister-in-law.
Friends will be received at
the Ferguson Funeral Home;Broad Ave.;Belle Vernon;from 1 to 5 and 7 to 10 p.m. Funeral services will be held from the funeral home;Thursday;April 25;1957;at 2 p.m.;with the Rev.George Kress and the Rev.William Shatz officiating. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Shelby D.Ferguson;funeral director.