William R. Speer

William Robert Speer, 84, of Farmington, NM, passed away August 2, 2013 at his home in Farmington. He was born March 22, 1929 in Albuquerque, NM to Venus Athiel and Henry Leigh Speer. He was preceded in death by his parents and daughter, Pamela Speer Barela.

Bill spent his early years in Albuquerque, NM surrounded by his much loved maternal grandparents, aunts and uncle. He was his grandfather's constant sidekick, delivering groceries and learning the secrets of life. He spent many a happy day playing in the Rio Grande in the south valley near Five Points. When he was nine years old he and his parents moved to the Texas panhandle town of Pampa where he grew up in a Sinclair Oil Company camp on a company lease his father was helping to develop for Sinclair. Bill was quite an athlete, lettering in three sports at Pampa High School. He attended the University of New Mexico on a football scholarship where he excelled as he simultaneously courted and eventually married Anne in 1950. Following his graduation from UNM in 1952 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geology, he and Anne moved to Farmington. A third generation oilman, Bill began working as a geologist for El Paso Natural Gas Company and its subsidiary El Paso Products Company where he rose to the rank of Division Manager, Exploration and Production. He resigned from El Paso in 1969 to become a Consulting Geologist. During his eighteen year employment with El Paso, he conducted and/or supervised drilling operations and surface and subsurface mapping studies not only in the San Juan Basin, but also in sedimentary basins all over the Rocky Mountains states, including several stints of memorable helicopter mapping in Alaska. Bill was right in the middle of the early San Juan Basin development boom in the 1950's, sitting the discovery well for the Bisti oilfield in 1957. El Paso also saw fit to also send him to Guatemala and Honduras for on-site mining evaluations during that time. As a Consulting Geologist, Bill was multitalented, conducting oil property evaluations and formation studies, supervising wildcat drilling programs and mapping coal resources in several basins for various clients. He was very successful as a consultant and was well respected by peers all over the industry and academia. Bill served on the Farmington School Board for seven years and was a sixty plus year member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, a fifty plus year honorary member of the New Mexico Geological Society, serving as President in 1972, and a longtime honorary member and president of the Four Corners Geological Society. On the occasion of their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, Bill and Anne attended a geological convention in Hawaii, with this trip precipitating an intense desire in him to begin an exploration of the world together. They traveled happily to many exotic locales with both family and friends over the years, but Hawaii always remained their favorite destination. Bill's heart remained in his love of the red rock canyon country of his home.

Bill's entire family, which grew to include several other younger men he took under his wing, was everything to him and he in turn was everything back to them. He was always more than just a husband and father. He was our mentor, strength, rock and example. To say he will be missed is to say that the sky would miss the sun. Well done good and faithful servant, now rest in Peace with our Lord knowing you led a life well lived.

Bill is survived by his beloved wife, Anne Richardson Speer of Farmington, NM and children Debra Speer Bristow of Albuquerque, NM; Stephen William Speer and wife, Therese Pepin Speer of Mt. Pleasant, SC; Jennifer Speer of Flower Mound, TX; and Samuel Robert Speer and wife, Charlotte Nelson Speer of Farmington, NM. He has eleven grandchildren, Aaron William Barela, Alissa Barela Rascon, Kara Bristow MacDevitt, Sarah Speer Samek, Janine Speer Dacy, Colby James Speer, Erik Stephen Speer, Kyla Brianne Speer, Natasha Tsosie Smith, Audriana Tsosie and Jasmine Tsosie Lewis; as well as eleven great-grandchildren, Sol Rascon, Desirae Rascon, Isabella Rascon, Noah Samek, Liam Samek, Annie MacDevitt, Luke Samek, Ari Dacy, Brenna MacDevitt; Jack Samek and Miliani Smith.

Cremation has taken place. Memorial services will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Farmington at 10:00 a.m., Friday, August 9, 2013. In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested that contributions be made in his memory to Northwest New Mexico Hospice and Home Care or the charity of your choice. Bill's care is entrusted to Brewer, Lee and Larkin Funeral Home, 103 E. Ute St. in Farmington, 505-325-8688.