Obituary - Philip D. Spechko

Dr. Philip D. Spechko, Genesee Physciain, Passes November 25

The Genesee community was shocked and saddened this week by the sudden passing of Dr. Philip David Spechko on Saturday morning, November 25. The local physician had been in ill health for a long time but his sudden demise cast a pall of sorrow over the community he had served so faithfully for twelve years. Death came to the doctor at his home at 10:30 a.m.

Dr. Spechko was born at Max, North Dakota, April 20, 1918, and he and his family had been residents of Genesee since April of 1955 when he took over the medical practice of Dr. Paul Gentsler.

He attended high school at Rathdrum, Idaho, and took pre-med training at Walla Walla College. He graduated from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in 1953 and interned at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane before moving to Genesee in 1955.

He was a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church at Moscow; a veteran of World War II; a member of the North Idaho Medical Association, and the American Medical Association; the Latah County Mental Health Association; Latah County Physicians and a staff member of Gritman Hospital in Moscow for several years.

He married Helen L. Qualls at College Place, Washington, August 12, 1945. She survives him at the family home.

Other survivors include three daughters, Phyllis Spechko, Elaine Spechko, and Jean Spechko, and a son, Thomas Spechko, all at home; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Aaron A. Spechko, College Place, Washington; a brother, Benjamin Spechko, Chicago; three sisters, Mrs. Inez Lichenwalter, Pasco; Ruth Pierce, Walla Walla, and Mrs. Eva Woodhouse, Napa, California.

Fiinal services were held at Short's Chapel, Moscow, Tuesday, Novemberr 28, at 10 a.m. with Elder Gary B. Patterson, Seventh-Day Adventist Church officiating.

Organist Mrs. Gary Patterson sang, "Just a Closer Walk With Thee," and "How Great Thou Art."

Pallbearers were Eli Rice, Carl Simmons, Vernon Peters, Floyd Ochs, Herbert Waters, and Vern Carscallen.

Honorary pallbearers were all the physicians on the staff at Gritman Hospital.

Burial was the Moscow Cemetery.

Unidentified newspaper, December 1, 1967
Transcribed by Jill Leonard Nock