Photographer H. L. Spedding Dies At 79

Photographer H.L. Spedding Dies At 79
Charter Kiwanian Operated Studio For 26 Years Here

Howard L. Spedding, former photographer and owner of the Spedding Studio here for 26 years, died yesterday afternoon at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital after a long illness. He was 79.
Mr. Spedding, who lived at 585 Dhu Varren Rd. Ann Arbor township, purchased the studio at 619 E. Liberty St. from a New York firm after coming here in 1919. He operated the business until 1945, when he sold his establishment to a group which operated it as the Sterling Studio.
He had learned portrait photography while working at several studios in his native Canada. After coming to the United States in the early 1900’s he engaged in motion picture photography for industrial and educational features and in art and fashion photography, working in Chicago and New York.

Was Charter Kiwanian
Active in civic affairs, he was a charter member of the Ann Arbor Kiwanis Club. He served as trustee of the club and, in 1934, as president. He was lieutenant governor of the Kiwanis Clubs of Michigan in 1936.
Mr. Spedding was also a member of an original committee of five which decided to purchase the old Catalpa Inn to be used for the Chamber of Commerce building. Located at N. Fourth Ave. and E. Ann St., the building housed the Catalpa Inn and later Joe Parker’s Inn before it was purchased by the Chamber in the early 1920’s. Chamber offices remained there until the building was sold in 1942 to hotel proprietor Christ Bilakos.
Mr. Spedding was born Oct. 29, 1878, in Byng, Ontario, a son of Thomas and Charity Jane Van Keuren Spedding. On Sept. 2, 1901, he was married to Elizabeth Marshall of Dunnville, Ontario.
Surviving besides his widow are a son, Dr. Frank H. Spedding of Ames, Ia.; a daughter, Hazel E. Spedding of Ann Arbor; a granddaughter, Elizabeth Spedding of Ames, Ia.; and a brother, Frank Spedding of Ithaca, N.Y.

Funeral Services Set
Funeral services will be held at 5 p.m. today at the Muehlig Chapel with the Rev. Loren Campbell officiating. The Rev. Mr. Campbell is the current president of the local Kiwanis Club.
Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in Dunnville, Ontario, after additional funeral services are held Saturday afternoon at the Clark Funeral Home there.
Friends may call at the Muehlig Chapel until 8 p.m. today.