Lyda Speck was born on March 27, 1914, at Overton Mines near Crawford, TN. She was a 1932 graduate of Livingston Academy and received a Chemistry degree from Milligan College in Johnson City, TN. She returned to Overton County and was first employed as a school teacher and in 1941 she became a rural mail carrier.
Lyda volunteered to join the US Army in 1943 expecting to be sent overseas but instead she was assigned to Los Alamos, New Mexico, working on a secret project which created the first atomic bomb. On September 28, 1945, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Director of the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, wrote Sgt. Lyda Speck a commendation for “her real contributions…in fundamental research…and the success of the project.”
Lyda was discharged in 1946 and returned to Overton County and resumed her job as a rural mail carrier. She was a Past Worthy Matron of the Livingston Chapter of the Eastern Star and was a member of the First Baptist Church for over 75 years, serving as Church clerk and secretary for over 10 years, and taught adult Sunday School classes for over 20 years. She was also a charter member of the Women’s Missionary Society. After retiring, Lyda was a volunteer tutor, especially in reading and math.
Lyda passed away on November 19, 2014, at the age of 100.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for reading about one of our Alumni Hall of Fame members. If you have someone you would like to nominate for the LA Alumni Hall of Fame, the nomination form can be found here: bit.ly/lahof
Comments