Stanley Ross "Doc" Spesard

Stanley Ross “Doc” Spesard, DVM, 95, of Shelbyville, IL, passed away at 9:27 p.m. on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at Shelbyville Manor, Shelbyville, Illinois.

A Celebration of Life is being planned in the near future. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery, Shelbyville, IL with military rites by the Shelby County Honor Guard. Arrangements are by Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, in Shelbyville, IL. Memorials may be given to Saving Orphaned Animals or the First Presbyterian Church both in Shelbyville and mailed to Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, 415 N. Broadway, Shelbyville, IL 62565.

Stanley was born on February 18, 1930, in Shelbyville, IL, the son of Willis Ross and Goldie Loretta (Gabel) Spesard. He graduated from Shelbyville High School in the Class of 1947 and earned his Bachelor of Science and Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois. Stanley served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, earning the rank of First Lieutenant. He married Mavis JoAnn Huttes on August 31, 1952, and they had four children, Corinn, Heidi, Alan and Jack. Stanley was a practicing veterinarian for 70 years in Shelbyville, helping to create a lineage of 100 years of veterinary service in the Spesard family. Stanley owned and operated Shelbyville Veterinary Clinic and served as the Shelby County Veterinarian. He was a member and Elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Shelbyville and served as a Trustee for Shelbyville Township for many years. He was also a member of the Kiwanis Club, Jackson Masonic Lodge #53, Moose Lodge #1294, and Roy Vanderpool American Legion Post #81, all in Shelbyville. Stanley was a sports enthusiast and enjoyed golfing into his 90’s and playing cards with his buddies on a weekly basis. He always insisted that Shelbyville was “The Most Beautiful Place in the World”. Stanley found a value in small town living that was best summed up by John Mellencamp in his lyrics: “Well, I was born in a small town. And I live in a small town. Probably die in a small town. Oh, those small communities.”

He is survived by his four children, Patricia Corinn Desmond of Bloomington, IL, Heidi Ann Spesard-Noble (Jim) of Minneapolis, MN, Stanley Alan Spesard (Beki) of Redmond, WA and Jack Andrew Spesard (Karen) of Kildeer, IL; nine grandchildren, Ryan Desmond, Tara Desmond, Tricia Desmond, Arthur Noble, Owen Noble, Jenna Kausal (Nabil), Cameron Spesard (Ashley), Kyle Spesard (Rochelle) and Blake Partridge (Tristan); and seven great grandchildren, Bree Desmond, Juniper Kausal, Finch Kausal, Talia Spesard, Dominic Spesard, Evangeline Spesard, Meilin Partridge and two more on the way.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Mavis Spesard on August 31, 2019; brother, David E. Spesard (Almeda); and sister, Barbara Jane Peters (Byron).