In 1926 L. P. Speakman joined the firm and became a partner with W.M. Armour in 1931. Mr. Speakman purchased the funeral firm in 1933 and became its sole proprietor. The Speakman Funeral Home business grew and the customs were changing. More funerals were being held in the funeral home and not in residences, so the need for additional space became evident. In 1946 Mr. Speakman purchased and remodeled a home on the present Cherry Avenue site.

In 1953 L. P. Speakman passed away and the business was taken over by his son, William E. Speakman. Through the ambulance service that was run through the funeral home as well as the funeral services he performed,the business continued to grow. Mr. Speakman was instrumental in forming the local ambulance service in the early 70's.Robert K. McIlvaine joined the firm in 1975. Rob worked at the funeral home while he attended Grove City College and Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. Mr. McIlvaine was licensed in 1979 and purchased the firm in 1985. As a result the name was changed to McIlvaine-Speakman Funeral Home Ltd.

Although in the same location, the funeral home has been able to improve and adjust to the changing needs of the community. Handicapped accessibility and additional parking were added in 1997.

In 1999 Rob joined with three other local funeral directors in forming Woodruff Family Services which joined management of seven funeral homes and a cemetery. The affiliation with Woodruff ended in January 2008, when Rob reacquired 100% ownership of the firm.

Another milestone happened in 2010 when Sara K. McIlvaine joined her father at the funeral home. Sara is a 2010 graduate of Bethany College where she received her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She became a licensed funeral director in 2012 and promises to continue with the high standards the funeral home is known for.

For the past 90 plus years the firm has taken great pride in providing the communities of Houston, Canonsburg, Meadowlands, Hickory, Eighty Four, Washington and surrounding areas with the highest level of professional funeral service.

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