Jean Barry Caldwell Reece Speight

Jean Barry Caldwell Reece Speight March 2, 1943 – November 21, 2019 Jean Barry Caldwell Reece Speight, aged 76, passed away at Parkwood Village in Wilson, November 21, 2019, from complications due to Alzheimer’s disease. ‘’Jeannie,” to all who knew her, was born March 2, 1943, in Sacramento, California, during the period that her father was stationed there for Army service. The family returned to their long-time home in Davidson, where Jeannie grew up. After graduating from North Mecklenburg high school, and University of North Carolina at Greensboro, she married her first husband, John Manly Reece. They moved to Wilson, where she began her lengthy career as a middle-school teacher, and he as an attorney. After his death, Jeannie married her second husband, Joseph Cornelia Speight, and moved to Stantonsburg. She continued to teach sixth grade at Greenfield School in Wilson, which, to no surprise to any of her family and friends, was one of the greatest joys of her life. After thirty-four years of teaching, Jeannie retired from Greenfield School in 2007. She spent the last seven years of her life in the loving care of the staff at Parkwood Village in Wilson. Jeannie is survived by her daughter, Mary Paige Reece, of Saint Louis, Missouri; brother, James Richard Caldwell, of Florence, South Carolina; sister, Anne Caldwell Forrest (Guy), of Shallotte, and her nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, John Barry Caldwell and Frances Stough Caldwell; first husband, John Manly Reece, and second husband, Joseph Cornelia Speight. Please join us for a celebration of Jeannie’s life to be held graveside in Stantonsburg Town Cemetery, Stantonsburg at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, November 25, 2019. Following the service, family will receive friends from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Parkwood Village in the Landing building. 1730 Parkwood Boulevard, Wilson, 27893. All are welcome to attend. The family would like to give special thanks to the kind and caring staff of Parkwood Village in Wilson. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association, 9131 Anson Way, Suite 206, Raleigh, North Carolina 27615 in her memory. Condolences may be directed to Joyner’s Funeral Home at www.joyners.net.