George Speers

George Michael Speers, 79, of Stillwater was the heart of his family. He was the quiet, but resiliently strong core of their world.

George was not only a proud husband and father, he was an accomplished scientist in his field.  It was these two parts of his world that allowed George to give his family an incredible life and unimaginable experiences.

They always came as a pair, George & Louise. Married for 56 years, they just kind of “got” each other. The pilot and co-pilot, the shopper and bag carrier, the cook and dishwasher. They traveled many miles next to each other between their Minnesota and Florida homes and together they ventured to some truly amazing places around the world.

George gave his children, Cyndee and Steve, the gift of confidence. He made sure they lived their dreams – no matter what crazy ideas they may have had.  He allowed them to spread their wings, to learn from the best teachers, enjoy unbelievable experiences and learn from their own mistakes.  They are strong people today because he quietly encouraged every step they took.

He also loved grand adventures with his three granddaughters, Lauren, Lucy and Annabelle.  He shared his joy of travel and discovery with them. They explored the Minnesota outdoors, squeezed Florida oranges, learned to appreciate cold snow and warm sand on the beach.  Together grandpa and the girls loved hanging out in the pool and searching for seashells.

Those of you who knew him well, know he loved to laugh at his own jokes – a laugh that was quiet, but shook his shoulders with every laugh.  He immersed himself into learning about issues that affect our world.  He was a firm believer in the power of knowledge.

George loved morning coffee with his Cape Coral, Florida men’s group. Those friends know he didn’t shy away from a hot debate.  In fact, he loved the process of “studying up” to prepare for those morning sparring sessions.

He enjoyed helping others in need. George volunteered every winter at the Cape Coral Caring Center. This was his gift to others who had helped him along the way.

George started his life in State Center, Iowa. He grew up helping his dad at the Speers Hatchery.   This would be the start to his life-long career in poultry nutrition.

George attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa where he earned his Bachelor, Masters and PhD degrees.  He was an associate professor of Poultry Nutrition at the University of Minnesota’s Animal Science Department.

He worked 26 years at Land O’ Lakes - starting in Fort Dodge, Iowa, then in Albert Lea, Minnesota where he managed the construction of a hatchery and helped guide salespeople in the field. His family later moved to Stillwater where he worked in the Land O’Lakes Feed Division developing rations for turkeys and chickens. He enjoyed working with farmers throughout the Midwest. George was highly respected in the industry.

George was involved with many organizations devoted to poultry nutrition and feed growth.  His hard work, expertise and vision were recognized with numerous awards and honors – and also unique challenges.  He was invited to travel to the Middle East with the Soybean Council to serve as a consultant during a food crisis.  George also helped create and grow the Midwest Poultry Consortium which, to this day, works to educate students about the poultry industry and recruit high achievers to carry on important work in farming.

George’s legacy is his gifts of kindness, his drive for knowledge and the encouragement to explore.  His family promises to make him proud.

Memorial Donations may be made to:

The Cape Coral Caring Center

4645 SE 15th Ave

Cape Coral, Florida 33904

Attn: Wendy Wootton

www.CapeCoralCaringCenter.org

Lakeview Health Foundation

927 Churchill Street West

Stillwater, Minnesota 55082

www.LakeviewFoundation.org