Patricia Lee Speelman, age 80, of Alexandria, SD died Tuesday, August 18, 2015 at Avera Brady Health and Rehab. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM Saturday, August 22, 2015 at St. Mary of Mercy Catholic Church, Alexandria, SD with burial at St. Mary of Mercy Cemetery in Alexandria, SD. Visitation will be from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Friday at St. Mary of Mercy Catholic Church with a wake service followed by a rosary beginning at 7:00 PM. Pat L. Speelman, daughter of Leo and Myrle (Brayton) Jarding, was born July 6, 1935 in rural Alexandria, SD. She graduated from Alexandria High School and then from Presentation School of Nursing. While attending Presentation School of Nursing, Pat met her husband Gene. She was united in marriage with Robert "Gene" Speelman on September 25, 1957 at St. Mary of Mercy Catholic Church in Alexandria, SD. Pat worked as a nurse at St. Joseph Hospital in Mitchell and St. Elizabeth Hospital in Bellville, IL while Gene was serving in the US Air Force. She then worked as a nurse at Brady Memorial Home after the couple moved back to rural Alexandria, where they raised their children on the family dairy farm. Pat furthered her education, receiving her (BA) at Dakota Wesleyan and her (MA) at the University of South Dakota. During her 35 year teaching career, Pat taught nursing at Mitchell Technical Institute. Pat served as President of the Nurses Association of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists from 1981-83. She also taught at Dakota Wesleyan University and Title 1 and Reading Recovery programs at Hanson School. Music was very important to Pat. She served as the church organist for 49 years, sang for many years in the Palace City Chapter of Sweet Adelines women's barbershop choirs, played for numerous weddings, celebrations and funerals, taught piano lessons for over 15 years, and provided music for 15 Marian Congresses. Pat was a loving, kind and giving women, who enjoyed special meals and parties with family and friends, where she displayed her gift of hospitality, dressing up everything with crystal, china and all things beautiful. Grateful for having shared her life are her husband of 57 years, Robert "Gene" Speelman, Mitchell, SD; three children, Dan (Linda) Speelman, Minneapolis, MN, Rose (Russ) Comp, Presho, SD, Mary Jane (Mike) Schuh, Elk Point, SD; eight grandchildren; two great grandchildren; two sisters, Judy (Jerome) Hoffman, Alexandria, SD and Peg (Ray) Trabing, Alexandria, SD; special friends, Keith Carlson, Mt Vernon, SD and Carol and Jim Hascamp Alexandria, SD. She was preceded in death by her parents.