![Obit-Azle-John-Jeffrey-Reese]()
John Jeffery Reese, known to his friends and family as “Jeff”, age 65, resident of Las Vegas, New Mexico, passed away on Jan. 16, 2016 surrounded by his loved ones. He died at UNM hospital in Albuquerque after battling some long term illnesses.
Memorial service will be held on Sat., Jan. 23, 2016 at 10 a.m. at Mora Valley Baptist Church with reception at the Reese home afterwards. His friend and pastor David Herrera will preside over the service.
Donations can be made in Jeff’s name to the Mora Valley Baptist Church, P.O. Box 248, Cleveland, New Mexico 87715.
Although he was a resident of New Mexico, he was born in Fort Worth, Texas on Sept. 30, 1950, and was always a Texan at heart. Jeff graduated from Azle High School in 1969. As a young rebellious teen he survived many dangerous adventures from running away at 15 to work on a farm in west Texas with Mike Crow, to catfish grappling on the Brazos with his best friend Eddie Shearer.
He fell in love with Helen Cruz who he often commented was way out of his league. He tried out for the school play in order to get close to Helen and got the role opposite her. He got to kiss her in the part, even though she refused to kiss him during rehearsals. They were married Aug. 1, 1970. He used his acting talent to become a salesman. He sold everything from junk to real estate. His primary occupation has always been “junkman” to those who knew him best. No matter what the condition there was very little that he considered just “trash”. This is how he viewed people and animals as well. There never was a person or beast that Jeff didn’t consider worth getting to know and helping if he could.
As Jeff’s parents got to an age that maintaining their New Mexico land holdings and cattle became too difficult, he moved there to help out. He also worked at the state hospital for a time as a nursing assistant. The patients there remember him fondly as a gentle man that showed them respect no matter what the infirmity.
At the age of 61 Jeff was in the hospital for congestive heart failure and came close to death that Christmas. When he started to mend he decided it was time to make a commitment to the Lord and become saved if God would have him. He commented that he knew there always was a God and that his daughter had been praying for him for 40 years but he just wasn’t sure he would make it to heaven after all he had done in his life. The last few years of his life he earnestly sought knowledge and wisdom to feed his spiritual hunger. He died a Christian who loved family above all else, fought his own demons until the very end, and wanted for little, except to be remembered by his grandkids as the best grandpa ever. Although not a member, Jeff attended Mora Valley Baptist Church.
He is preceded in death by his father, Muriel Reese and brother, Jim Reese. His mother Elizabeth Reese still resides in New Mexico.
Survivors include his wife and high school sweetheart Helen Cruz Reese, daughters and son-in laws; Raychel Hosch, Don Hosch, April Reese, John Charles O’Neil, and Ember Davis: sisters; Jeri Wilhite, Laurie Crow, Sarah Horner, and Lisa Griego, brothers; Anson Reese, Joel Reese, and 12 grandchildren.
The Azle News,
Jan. 20, 2016 Edition
