Speer, Lucile

Lucile E. Speer was born in Branch County, Michigan, on January 7, 1899. She attended school in Ray, Indiana, and obtained teachers training at Michigan State Teachers College. In 1919 she moved to Montana where she established a career in education, teaching at Bonner, Montana, while gaining her bachelor's degree in English from the University of Montana. She received her masters degree from the University in Chicago after which she taught secondary education in Kalispell.

In 1928 she was hired at the University of Montana library, becoming the documents librarian from 1938 until her retirement in 1968. Speer was active in many political and education organizations including the League of Women Voters and the Missoula County Democratic Club. She was an alternate delegate to the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago; and was also a delegate to the 1972 Montana Constitutional Convention where she served on the Local Government Committee, and was instrumental in developing an index to the convention proceedings. Lucile Speer died in Missoula, Montana, on November 18, 1987.