Charles Louis Speegle

April 16,1938 – January 22, 2026

It is with great sadness that the family of Charles Speegle announces his peaceful passing on Thursday, January 22, 2026 in Waco, Texas at the age of 87.

Funeral services will be held at 10 AM Saturday, January 31st, at the First Baptist Church in Valley Mills, Texas, with visitation after the service.

Charles was born on April 16, 1938, in Waco, Texas, to the late Louis Brack Speegle and Jeanetta Fulp Speegle. He spent his first few years in Speegleville, Texas, and was the last Speegle generation to live there since it's pioneer settlement around 1849. His family moved to Valley Mills, Texas in the early 1940's where he attended school and graduated from Valley Mills High School in the Class of 1956.

After graduation from Valley Mills High School, Charles worked at Speegle Machine Shop with his father, Louis. After Louis passed away in 1971, Charles successfully continued the business for more than 30 years. Charles' intellect, technical skills and innate mechanical ability facilitated a unique blend of talents that served the needs of the surrounding agricultural community for decades. Charles built anything from branding irons to cattle trailers and repaired anything from chain saws to bulldozers. His patience and work ethic were exemplary. Simultaneous with managing the welding and machine shop business he also sorted mail at 6 AM  every morning and served in other positions at the local US Post Office, retiring after more than 20 years as a Career Part Time Postal employee.

Charles loved to hunt and fish and especially enjoyed the mountains. He hunted deer and elk in Colorado and Montana with a custom Winchester rifle which he made for himself and he hand loaded his own ammunition. He fished for bass in Texas, for trout in Colorado and caught numerous trophy Pike and Lake Trout in Manitoba, Canada. His positive attitude and witty sense of humor endeared him to friends and strangers alike.  Sometimes strangers became life long friends. Beginning in the late 1990's Charles and his wife Jean would tow their travel trailer to Pagosa Springs, Colorado and spend summers with a large group of friends from several States who would meet at designated campgrounds in the area. After many years of doing this, they purchased a second home in Pagosa Springs in lieu of towing a large travel trailer to Colorado.

Charles is survived by is wife, Jean Speegle and her children; Collyn Eastham (Melissa) of Red Oak, Texas and Cally Shapshack of Austin, Texas. Grandchildren; Colton Eastham, Shelby Eastham, Chance Walls, Madison Walls and Jagger Shapshack.Great-grandchildren; Harper London Walls. All whom he loved as his own. He is also survived by his children of a previous marriage; Steve Speegle (Joni) of Katy, Texas, Sharon Speegle of San Marcos, Texas and David Speegle of Austin, Texas. Grandchildren; Travis Speegle of Austin, Texas, Cameron Speegle of Austin, Texas and Sierra Speegle of San Francisco, California. He was proceeded in death by his sister, Bettye Holt of Waco, Texas and ex-spouse Sue Speegle of Ruidoso, New Mexico.

Pallbearers; David Speegle, Steve Speegle, Bryan Holt, Travis Speegle, Jagger Shapshak, John Moody, and Colton Eastham. Honorary Pallbearers; Alan Morgan, Billy Powers, Larry Miles, Wayne Stinson and Donnie Hall.

In lieu of flowers, any memorial gifts are suggested to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America at

alzfdn.org

Charles Speegle Memorial Video

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fossfunealhome.com