Barbara Gayle (Stalman) Speck of Oacoma, SD received a precious gift from God on her 80th Birthday. She has transitioned into Heaven and is now reunited with her devoted husband Ed, cherished son Bill, as well as her beloved sisters and many many family members and friends.
Barbara was born July 29, 1941 in Chamberlain, SD to Albert Theodore Stallman and Anna Katherine (Black) Stallman. She and her 4 siblings from this union were raised in Reliance, SD. When she was ten years old, she saw a Carnival Fortune Teller who told her that she would marry a tall, thin man and that they would have four children. From that day on, she was on the lookout for that man. In 1957 she met 6'6" Emil Edwin (Goehring) Speck. On March 22,1958 they married at the Calvary Baptist Church in Pierre SD. They soon had four children. Donn, Sindi, Bill, Casey.
As the family grew, they followed Ed through the oil fields of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, California, Nebraska, Wyoming, Nevada, North Dakota, and Montana, Over the years Barbara worked as a waitress, cook, cashier, clerk, receptionist, dispatcher, nurses aide, secretary, bookkeeper, post office clerk, Columnist for the Chamberlain-Oacoma Register where her column "Here I go…..Thinking Again" was well received, as well as columnist for the later Central Dakota Times. There she wrote a year long column about Reliance history in preparation of the Reliance Centennial and subsequent book on those columns.
While the family lived in Utah, Barbara learned all about genealogy and bought a book on the subject, that helped her get started on a long and rewarding genealogical path. When the family settled in Oacoma, SD, Barbara's genealogy bug really took off. She eventually taught herself Web Development and ultimately created and became webmaster of eight different Genealogy Websites. Lyman County SD Genealogy, Lyman-Brule Genealogy Society, Stallman Family , Schelle Family, Black Family, Creasey Family, Hansen Family, Kuper Family. Barbara could always be seen at her computer tracking down histories and updating her genealogy sites.

Barbara was a proud member of multiple organizations including being a charter member of the Lyman-Brule Genealogical Society, Project Director of Tri-County Historical Association where she poured her heart into publishing the book "Of Rails and Trails", Chairperson of the Oacoma Centennial Celebration in 1993, lead the project to publish the Oacoma History book and the Oacoma Centennial Cookbook, Chamberlain Area HIstorical Preservation Society, member of the Chamberlain Development Corporation, member of Lake Frances Case Development Corporation, member of the Oacoma Planning and Zoning Board, as well as the Lyman County Zoning Board. Her last published project was the Reliance, South Dakota 1905-2005 history book.
She was preceded in death by: Her parents, Albert Stallman and Ann (Black) Stallman Cordry, Son Albert William (Bill) Speck, Sisters Pegge and Frances, and Brother Kelly.
She is survived by Sons Donn and Casey of Oacoma, Daughter Sindi of Norman Oklahoma; Grandson's Jason of Belle Fouche, and Morgan of Sioux Falls; Granddaughter Taylor of Oacoma; Great Granddaughter Lauren of Belle Fouche; Great Grandson Owen of Oacoma; Sisters Sandy Foxwell of Farmington, NM and Karol Cordry of Farmington, NM; Brother Ed and wife Diane of Hempstead, TX, many nieces, nephews, and a host of other family and friends.

In lieu of a funeral, a Celebration of Life and Urn Burial will occur in September. Both Barbara and Edwin's Urns will be placed together at that time, per their wishes.