Anne Canterberry Speake, age 96, died April 7, 2016 at her home in Cedarhurst. Preceding her in death were her husband, Paul M. Speake, her mother, Edna Coats Canterberry, her father R. Harry Canterberry, and three sisters, Marjorie Canterberry, Harriet C. Forster, and Alice C. Hamilton. Survivors include her niece Jane F. Wacaster and husband Tom of Huntsville, niece-in-law Carolyn Forster of Maryville TN, and several great and great-great nieces and nephews.
Anne was born and reared in Huntsville. A graduate of Huntsville High School, she attended business college just before World War II. As war loomed and the country geared up with job recruitment, Anne and her twin sister Alice accepted secretarial civil service jobs in Washington DC. U.S. Senator John Sparkman of Huntsville offered them jobs in his Washington office. During the war years Anne and Alice continued their love of music, singing in the choir at Peter Marshall’s New York Avenue Presbyterian Church.
In 1948 Anne took a leave of absence. She and her good friend Elizabeth Carlin, US Senator Albert Gore Sr.’s secretary, created their own Grand Tour of Europe, which included an extended visit in Paris with Anne’s sister, Marjorie. Marjorie was with the US Foreign Service, later becoming one of the State Department’s first female Vice Consuls.
In 1949 Anne married Paul M. Speake, both born in Huntsville and on Eustis Avenue. An architect, Paul designed several homes in Huntsville before his World War II Naval service. After the war, he moved to Birmingham as a partner in the architectural firm of Davis, Speake, and Thrasher. With their marriage, Anne joined Paul in Birmingham where they lived for the next forty eight years with a wonderful circle of friends and associates. They were very active at Independent Presbyterian Church, both singing in the choir, Anne deeply engaged in the flower ministry, and Paul serving on the Session.
Two of Anne’s main interests were flower design and creating miniature rooms. A number of her arrangements are shown in magazines and Elegance in Flowers, a book published by Oxmoor House of Birmingham in 1985. She was employed for 25 years by Mrs. William Blackwell, a prominent Birmingham floral designer. Anne designed five miniature rooms with the help of her husband and several interested friends.
After Paul’s death in 1996, Anne moved back to Huntsville, where she became an active member at First Presbyterian Church and shared her love of flowers and music. She enjoyed membership in several civic and social organizations including The Study Circle, The Antiquarian Society, The Huntsville Garden Club, and the Huntsville Museum of Art.
The funeral service will be Monday, April 11, at 2:00 at First Presbyterian Church with Dr. Cary Speaker officiating. The family will greet friends in the church prior to the service, and there will be a reception immediately following the service. A private interment of ashes will follow at the Canterberry plot at Maple Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to the First Presbyterian Church, Huntsville for its flower ministry or to Independent Presbyterian Church, Birmingham for the Fresh Air Farm ministry.
