Obituary: Robert Speeter, an advocate for Catholic schools

Robert Speeter was a devout Roman Catholic who devoted much of his life to the church and promoting Catholic education. At the same time, Speeter, a lawyer and former FBI agent, urged his children to challenge the status quo if they weren't satisfied with it.

"He encouraged us to make changes if we weren't happy, to become a part of something and not just an observer," said his daughter LuAnne Speeter of Edina. "He was never a complainer. He believed that everyone had incredible potential."

Robert Speeter died of heart failure Thursday at his Minneapolis home. He was 97.

Born in Eyota, Minn., in 1914, Speeter grew up in St. Paul, where he delivered magazines to customers for a penny a pop.

After graduating from DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis in 1932, he attended the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul and the University of Minnesota, where he received his law degree.

Shortly after World War II began, Speeter became an FBI agent, partly because he wanted to remain stateside with his new wife, Lucille, according to LuAnne Speete. He served in Chicago; Fort Worth, Texas; St. Louis, and San Francisco, where he helped provide security to officials attending the founding summit of the United Nations in 1945.

The following year, Speeter left the FBI and resumed his law practice. In 1954, he and Vincent Johnson founded the Speeter & Johnson law firm in Minneapolis. Three of Speeter's children -- Cheryl, Richard, and Robert M.-- and granddaughter Lisa currently work at the firm.

Speeter was active in Catholic causes, especially in education. Frustrated that the west Twin Cities suburbs had no Catholic high schools, Speeter, along with businessman Bob Short, raised $1 million to build Benilde High School, which later merged with St. Margaret's Academy. He believed that the combination of church and school was key to helping students develop Catholic values and strong relationships, LuAnne Speeter said.

"Catholic education was really the banner he carried," she said.

In addition to his daughter LuAnne, Speeter is survived by two other daughters, Cheryl of St. Louis Park and Patrice of Dexter, Mich.; two sons, Richard of Orono and and Robert M. of Minnetonka, and several grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. next Thursday at Gearty-Delmore Chapel, 3960 Wooddale Av. S., St. Louis Park. A funeral mass will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 17 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 1 Lourdes Place, Minneapolis.

Thomas Lee • 612-673-4113