[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 163 (Thursday, October 25, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S13436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING WYNN SPEECE

 Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, today I recognize the passing of 
Wynn Speece. Wynn passed away on October 22, at Avera Sacred Heart 
Hospital in Yankton, SD, at the age of 90.
  Many will remember Wynn as the ``Neighbor Lady'' from her WNAX talk 
radio show. For 64 years her voice came into the homes of countless 
Midwestern families. Her household tips, recipes, and personal 
anecdotes will be missed not only by South Dakotans but also by her 
many listeners throughout the Midwestern region.
  Wynn grew up in Marshalltown, IA, where she took a special interest 
in home economics and theater. Upon her graduation from high school, 
she continued her education at Drake University where she majored in 
speech with a broadcasting emphasis. After her graduation in 1939, she 
took a job writing commercials for WNAX in Yankton, SD. It took 2 years 
of writing before WNAX gave Wynn her very own show. From the first show 
she was an instant success, and that success would follow the 
``Neighbor Lady'' for the next 64 years.
  Wynn won several awards for outstanding radio work. She was presented 
with the prestigious Marconi Award for ``Best Small-Market Radio 
Personality'' and was named one of the top 10 Yankton citizens of the 
20th century by the Yankton Press and Dakotan. Not only was Wynn a 
celebrated radio host, but she also worked hard to make a positive 
impact on the community of Yankton. Her local involvement and selfless 
giving earned Wynn the 1991 Yankton Community Citizen of the Year 
Award.
  Wynn Speece was an extraordinary woman and a great South Dakotan who 
will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

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