Obituary of Bertie Calhoun

Graveside services for Bertie Calhoun, age 94, of Benton, will be held at 4:00 PM, Saturday, September 12, 2015 at Spring Creek Cemetery in Gainesville, TX with Bro. Brian Rankin officiating. Bertie was born October 21, 1920 to the union of Roy and Greta Stevens Speake in Cooke County Texas and she passed from this life on September 8, 2015 at Haven Nursing Center in Columbia. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Shreveport. She was a past Chairman for the Board of Appeals for the Benton Metropolitan area. She was a past President of the Shreveport Toastmasters Club. She was a past President of the Greater Bossier Toastmasters Club. She was a former member of the National Association of Female Executives. She was a former Chairman of Commission on Foundation of Evergreen and she was a past Parliamentarian of the Cypress Area Garden Club. She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter: Margaret Annell Rankin; brothers: Sterling Speake, Roy Herman Speake, Jr., and Robert Speake; sisters: Mildred Hundley, Mary Katherine Martin, Gladys Sparkman; grandaughter: Elizabeth Ann Rankin. She is survived by her grandchildren: John David Rankin and his wife Cheryl of Tullos; Brian Rankin and his wife Joy of Columbia; brother: Claude Speake of Forth Worth, TX; sisters: Bette Anderson of Denton, TX; Shirley Kennemer and her husband Joe of Denton, TX; Greta Sue Wylie of Weatherford, TX; great-grandcihldren: Kristy Varner and her husband Jason of Columbia; Jamin Rankin of West Monroe; Emily Rankin of Shreveport; John Garrett Rankin of Tullos; great-great-grandsons: Jonah and Jeremiah Varner of Columbia; numerous nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be John David Rankin, Brian Rankin, John Garrett Rankin, Jamin Rankin, and Jason Varner. Honorary Pallbearers will be nephews and Byrum Teekell, Grey Teekell, Hassell Teekell, Andrew Teekell, Scott Teekell, Jonah Varner, and Jeremiah Varner.