Gene and I met in 1988 when I went to work for the Missouri Department of Economic Development. Although I worked in the existing business program, I frequently went "across the atrium" as DED staff referred to it, to talk to Gene and others in community programs. Over the years, I became more involved with the Missouri Community Betterment program and Gene became one of my dearest friends. Even after I moved to Colorado, Gene and I stayed in touch and I never missed the chance to see him when I was back in Columbia.
An incident that is particularly memorable for me is a summer evening when Gene and a handful of friends and neighbors raced to bring in hay before a storm hit. Gene lived on a farm where he tended a small herd of cattle. There was a stretch of land that sloped down towards the Missouri River where he grew hay. One summer, I volunteered to help Gene bring in the hay, along with Steve Henness, who had recently been an intern with MCB, and several of Gene's neighbors.
It was a hot, humid, summer evening and thunder clouds were beginning to gather. Hundreds of bales of hay dotted the field and Gene began organizing his small crew to gather the bales before it began to rain. Gene gave me the job of driving the tractor, which looked like it belonged in an antique tractor show rather than still being used on a farm. After a few minutes of learning how to use the stick shift and clutch, I was steering the tractor up and down the field with Gene and the others following behind, picking up and tossing the hay bales onto the trailer. When the trailer was full, I drove the tractor to the barn, where the crew would take the bales off the trailer and hand them to Gene, who deftly stacked them in the barn.
As we made progress, the storm clouds continued to gather and the sky began to get very dark. The winds were increasing and thunder could be heard in the near distance. When it became so dark that I couldn't see the stretch of field in front of me, I suggested that we should go inside. Instead, Gene kindly relieved me of my duties as driver, while Steve and the others continuing to throw the bales of hay on the trailer. By now, the wind was blowing hard and lightening was lighting up the dark clouds. Just as Gene and his crew gathered up the last of the bales and stacked them in the barn, the sky opened up and it began to pour. Once everyone was in the house, Gene treated us with one of his wife's amazing cherry pies and hot coffee. We were all sweaty, filthy and tired, but we also felt good for getting in the hay before the rain came down.
One of Gene's many wonderful attributes was his willingness to keep going, even when clouds gathered. Gene had a knack for gathering people to do what seemed impossible. Whether it was on his farm, or in a community or neighborhood, Gene encouraged a "can do" attitude. At the end of the day, Gene also knew the importance of celebrating what was accomplished. Gene made sure that the MCB conference was a celebration of what people had accomplished together. I appreciate this chance to celebrate together the life of Gene Speichinger, who lives on in our stories.
Vickie Rightmyre
I had
the good fortune of working with Gene as a fellow member of the
Community Development unit at the Missouri Department of Economic
Development. Gene always enjoyed visiting with his co-workers at DED
(sort of a “recharging” time) but he always made the point that the joy
of his work was the time spent in Missouri communities sharing ideas and
hearing the amazing accomplishments of
local community leaders.
The term …of the people, by the people, for the people…. Is one I will
always associate with Gene.
John R. Gulick
MO Department of Health
and Senior Services
Community
Development Services
Gene Speichinger symbolized Missouri Community Betterment to us. When we first associated with the state in 1988, he helped us to understand the "big picture" and was unfailingly friendly, thoughtful and available. Considering all the people he dealt with in MCB, it was amazing that he always remembered our names and our town and generally what was going on with our association. Gene is a huge loss for MCB and for those of us who consider ourselves blessed to call him a friend.
Susan & Ken Worthington
Lexington, MO
LCBA
I have many
wonderful memories of Gene Speichinger. I truly
feel if it had not been for him, Shelbina would never have gotten
off to the great start it did in Community Betterment.
He spent much time here one on one with the processes of
getting our organization started and preparing our workbook.
I never knew for awhile that he had been a priest, and I
didn’t realize until after he retired and I read an article about
him how many hours he spent helping those in and around Columbia who
needed help. He was certainly an extraordinary
person, and I feel fortunate to have known him.
Joan Bierly
Gene was a wonderful friend and advisor of our community as we worked through the Missouri Community Betterment process. His willingness to always come to our town for meetings or just share advice made us feel like we had a real connection to the big picture.
Brenda Oliver, GRI, LTG, PMN
Heritage Realty
Odessa, MO 64076
I met Gene Speichinger in 1978 when I attended my first MCB conference in Jefferson City at the Ramada Inn. It was a small gathering but I was nervous about being in the competition. Gene was extremely gracious, smiling throughout the evening, and made me feel great when he shook my hand and congratulated me on receiving an award. It was that first handshake that started years of friendship.
Over the years, Gene made many trips to southern Missouri and usually found an excuse to stop in at Cabool and visit. He helped us with MCB projects, surveys, and practically everything else. Everyone in city hall and most of our merchants on Main Street knew him. If school was in session, he would call to visit with me and ask about the Mayor’s Youth Council kids and what they were doing. If he had time, he would come to school so he could see them – he enjoyed the youth. On one occasion, Gene invited me to join him at the local Mexican restaurant that was his favorite place to eat in town. The owner was seating customers that day and I introduced him to her. When she spoke, he replied in her native language. They continued a conversation for quite awhile and when they finished, she thanked him. She said it had been a long time since she had enjoyed such a conversation. He thanked her too and said it brought back good memories from his time in Peru. But that was Gene- he was gracious to people and always thoughtful of what would make them happy.
Farmfest in Cabool was another of Gene’s favorite events. If he could manage a visit to town during the two-day festival, he would join the MYC kids and me at the concession stand. We would all share a hot dog or burger and then he would be off to see the exhibits. Gene, my husband and I would share stories about antique tractors and he would tell us about his farm. One year, a tool vendor was set up and he said he wanted to check it out but it was late and he needed to get home. We all left but he called us later and said he almost got out of town but went back because he could not resist buying a “trunk-load” of tools to take home. He said he felt like a kid in a candy store and just hoped Leigh wouldn’t be too upset. Years later, Gene would mention one of those tools and chuckle again about the bargains he got.
During the late spring and summer of 2003, all four bones in my legs broke as a result of a series of mistakes by a couple of doctors. Gene was concerned about my situation and the fact that I ended up in a wheel chair. Gene would call to see how I was mending; he knew I had a goal of walking without aid by MCB time. That year our community, youth group and I received awards and we climbed up steps each time to accept them. Gene was there on the platform offering me a handshake for support and smiling.
After Gene retired, we kept in touch with occasional phone calls and my periodic newsletters. He would call to talk to me, or my husband, and we would share stories about family and projects and what we could do to make the world better. We always made some time to visit at MCB conference. Our community, my family, and I all miss Gene. He was one of my very best friends for over 30 years.
Brenda Jarrett
Cabool Mayor’s Youth Council sponsor
About Gene
Spiechinger…
It has been a while now since
Gene passed away and I am still stunned and devastated by his death.
Such a dear sweet man.
I knew
Gene from the time he started working in the Department of Economic
Development with the MCB program and through the years we were very
close friends. He was always ready to listen to
whatever I had to say and if I was going down the wrong path he
would set me straight but always with a smile and an understanding
that was so evident in the person Gene was.
Gene was
never too busy to see about his family and friends and spent a lot
of time caring for his family. He was such a
gentle, compassionate and caring person and very sensitive to the
problems and pain of others. Many times we would
sit and talk about MCB, world and community events and other issues
that were on our minds.
He was a
very humble person and by being so he never received the appropriate
thanks or recognition he deserved. Being well
educated and very intelligent I feel it was too bad that his
expertise was not used appropriately when he left the Department as
I believe he could have helped a great deal in bringing communities
together, however many community people did keep in touch with him
whenever they had a problem and he never got tired of being asked
questions. Gene loved to talk about MCB and once
he got started he would keep going until he realized he had talked
too long. Often times after a workshop or
meeting he would say to me, “I talked too long, didn’t I?
But I had so much to say.”
He was so
very proud when he received the Ambassador Award.
Gene loved
to eat, especially M & M’s. Whenever he was
driving he would munch on candy or some kind of goodies constantly.
Everyone knew this and would always keep him in
sweets at the office or home. One time, when I
was recovering from surgery, Gene came to see me and when I opened
the door he had a single flower he had picked to bring to me and a
bag of candy. As we sat and visited he started
eating the candy and by the time he left the candy was gone.
We always laughed about that.
Many times
when he was traveling to a community where there was something that
he thought I would like to see he would call me to see if I wanted
to go so I would stop whatever I was doing and go.
Because of this I saw many communities and special projects
that I would not have. Everyone in the
communities knew him and looked forward for him to come and boost
their excitement on what they were doing. One
great experience I had was when Gene took me to Blackwater when they
first started to put the little town back on the map.
I had never been there and found it very fascinating as Gene
introduced me to so many. There was the fella that moved back home
to Blackwater that was a well known playwright, director and
producer in another state. He bought the little
church there and started producing plays there which brought many
people into the town. We visited in his home which made one think
you were in a European country.
Then there
was the brothers that bought up most of downtown and rehabbed the
hotel and restaurant and we had quite a visit with them and what
their plans were. Gene knew people and knew how
to communicate with them. He was never a
stranger to anyone.
Gene
looked after and was constantly on call with his brother and sister
that lived in the country around Brookfield and would make so many
trips to see about them. Many times after a hard
days work, but I am sure he never let on to them how tired he was.
He loved
Leigh and the girls so very much and was always giving me an update
on how they were doing in school and Meghan’s progress.
Gene was a very special person and I could go on and on
about him and how important he was to the
MCB communities in the state.
Yes, Gene
was definitely Mr. MCB in the truest sense of the program.
He was and always will be remembered for his good works and
love and concern for all the people.
Carolee Hazlet
A Devoted Friend
