By Lynda Jones, Editor
Betty Gillespie (Photo by Robert Bell)
Betty Gillespie, the matriarch of Milwaukee’s most famous barbeque restaurant, Speed Queen died on Tuesday May 18, 2010 at the age of 73 years-old. Her son, Giovonni Gillespie, said she passed away at Elmbrook Hospital in Brookfield from colon cancer, which she had only recently been diagnosed with. Gillespie was diagnosed with colon cancer two weeks ago. The doctors told her that was all the time she had left.
In February, just a mere three months ago, Gillespie was a recipient of The Milwaukee Times’ Black Excellence Award for business. She was interviewed by a local television station when she spoke of her longevity in the business.
“I have worked seven days a week, 15 to 20 hours a day, nine months pregnant. I’d be working, you know walking around, everybody would be saying ‘is she going to make it to serve this order?’ I’d be so reared back being pregnant. I look back, it’s just amazing how I made it,” Gillespie said during that interview.
Speed Queen Restaurant, 1130 W. Walnut. (Photo By Robert A. Bell)
The history of the restaurant reads like this: Summertime -1956, from the back of a storefront in the old Hay Market on 5th & Vliet, Leonard Partee and his wife Betty took the family recipe for BBQ and secret sauce and set-up shop right next to Milwaukee’s undisputed champion of BBQ “Black King”.
In the beginning; the Partees survived on the overflow from Black King. Word of their excellent BBQ, secret sauce; and speedy service quickly spread and Betty was dubbed the “Speed Queen”. Soon they had all the business that they could handle and Black King was moving away.
From the Hay Market they moved to 12th & Vine and in 1975 the restaurant settled on the corner of 12th & Walnut where Betty, her second husband, Art Gillespie and their children continued the family business. Following Art’s death in 1986 Betty and the family continued to proudly produce Milwaukee’s finest barbecued meats using the largest BBQ pit in the city and their trademark secret sauces.
In addition to leaving a legacy of good food, and a business, her son Giovonni wants his mother’s legacy to serve as a reminder for people to get physicals on a regular basis.
Mayor Tom Barrett released the following statement after hearing about the loss of Betty Gillespie: “Betty Gillespie’s good cooking, quick service and warm personality made Speed Queen BBQ a Milwaukee Institution. She proudly produced Milwaukee’s finest barbecue while also serving her community. She will be sorely missed by loyal Speed Queen BBQ patrons near and far.”
Gillespie’s funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Krause Funeral Home located at 9000 W. Capitol Drive, 414-464-4640. Arrangements were being finalized as The Courier went to press. However, a visitation was tentatively scheduled for Sunday, May 23 at the funeral home from 3:00-7:00 pm. The funeral will be held at New Testament Church located at 10201 W. Bradley Road, 414- 365-1690, where she was a member. Funeral and visitation are scheduled to begin at 10:00 am.