Audrey Jo King Speights

Funeral services for Mrs. Audrey Jo King Speights, 93, of Monroe, LA, will be held at 1:00 P.M. May 19, 2023, at Mulhearn Memorial Park Mausoleum, Monroe, LA with Rev. Lanny Turner and Rev. Terry Barnes officiating. Interment will follow at Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 12:00 P.M. until time of service at the Mausoleum.

Audrey Jo King Speights, who was born on January 27, 1930, and passed away on May 17, 2023.  She grew up in Jena, Louisiana, as the youngest of 8 children.  Her parents were Frazier Robertson King and Lula Gertrude Frazier King. At Northwestern State College, she met Earl D. Speights and they married after her graduation ceremony on August 11, 1950, at a nearby church. They were married for 68 years and Dr. Speights once told his physician that Mrs. Audrey Jo was “His everything.”

She is preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Earl D. Speights; son, Ernest “Bob” Speights; one special niece, Marjorie Elaine Stanley Fisher; and her precious grandson Zachary Earl Fordham. Mrs. Audrey said, “He will be waiting at Heaven’s Gate to welcome his Granny Jo.”

Mrs. Speights is survived by daughter Edy Speights Nicholson and husband Rickey of Pioneer; and daughter Suzie Speights Fordham and husband Wendell of Downsville.

Grandchildren include Chris Nicholson and wife Yvette of Edmond, Oklahoma; Seth Fordham of Downsville, Louisiana; and Abby Fordham and fiancé Brett Duplissey from Calhoun, Louisiana.

Great grandchildren include Ryan James Nicholson and Reese Marie Nicholson of Edmond, Oklahoma.  A very special friend, often called her third daughter, is Debbie Ducote of San Antonio, Texas.

Mrs. Speights graduated from Trout Good Pine H.S. in 1947 and earned her B.A. from Northwestern State College in Natchitoches, LA, in 1950 and later earned an M.A. in 1960. She retired from teaching in the Monroe City Schools in 1988.

One of her passions was playing table tennis because she could exercise and travel with Earl to attend many Senior Olympic events around the nation. Mrs. Audrey Jo won many trophies and medals at the Senior Olympics; she was especially proud of a bronze medal in Table Tennis at Nationals and a second place in Doubles.

Whether she was known by Granny Jo, Noni, Jo Jo, friend, or neighbor, Mrs. Speights was an exceptionally kind person in every facet of her life. She was a member of Parkview Baptist Church and loved participating in the Byrd-Smith Sunday School class. She will be remembered for being a loving mother, grandmother, friend, and neighbor. Her family, and the role of mother and grandmother was very important to her and her love shaped all who knew her. One of the valuable lessons that she taught her children, grandchildren—and now the great grandchildren—was the love and value of reading. She cherished the times she could rock the children and read to them at the same time.  She used her talents as a seamstress to sew costumes, her teaching skills to help with homework and she used her compassion and sense of humor to counsel many who sought her advice.  Her kindness was legendary, for she would go out of her way to do a favor for someone; in fact, one of her greatest joys was taking comfort food to friends and neighbors. She was such a special person to so many and her legacy will live on in the beautiful memories she leaves for us.  Proverbs 31:31 says, “Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice.