A celebration of life for William Ray (Bill) Reece, 89, will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Orchards United Methodist Church. He died Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, at Guardian Angel Homes, of Alzheimer's disease.
Bill was born April 4, 1925, at Cavendish, the youngest son of Lethco James and Georgia Cleo McGuire Reece. He attended elementary school at Cavendish, riding a horse with his two brothers from his home in Teakean, and was in the last class to graduate from Southwick High School.
At the age of 10, he was shot in the leg by a man with an "unloaded" gun, and spent a year in the Shriners Hospital in Portland, Ore. This made him "unfit" for military service, so he spent World War II helping to build tankers for the U.S. Navy in shipyards near Portland. Following the war, Bill was a baggage handler for Greyhound in Portland, then returned to Teakean and worked as a truck driver, and later as a jammer operator for Lewis Porter Logging.
On the death of his father in 1950, he took over the farms of his parents and grandparents and went into the cattle business with his brother, Jim. When the Cavendish Teakean School was built, he added school bus driver and janitor to his duties. He later added more farmland in Melrose to his operation.
In 1953, he married Harriet Lee Walrath in Orofino, and they bought a house in Cavendish near where he farmed. They retired in 1988 and soon became snowbirds, spending winters in Apache Junction, Ariz. In 2004, they moved to Lewiston. The couple enjoyed many trips to Hawaii, fishing and camping in the summer with family and Fine Gold Campers, and boating on Dworshak Reservoir. Bill was beef superintendent at Clearwater County Fair, a member of the 4-H livestock sales committee, a 4-H leader, a sixth-degree Grange member, and served as master of both the Evergreen and Clearwater Pomona granges. Bowling and coasting in the snow were favorite wintertime activities.
He received county honors for his conservation farming, and he and Harriet were named grand marshals for the Clearwater County Fair and Lumberjack Days.
He is survived by his son and daughter, L.J. Reece (Debbie) of Lewiston, and Becky West of Kennewick; grandsons Aaron Reece and Clint West (Alissa); great-grandchildren Allyn and Rex; and sister-in-law Juanita Reece of Lewiston.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Rachel Ann; and brothers James and Ernest.
Memorial donations may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children, 911 W. Fifth Ave., Spokane, WA 99204; to Orchards United Methodist Church, 1213 Burrell Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501; or a charity of the donor's choice.
Service Information
- Date & Time
- Saturday, February 14, 1:30 PM
- Location
-
Orchards United Methodist Church
1213 Burrell Avenue
Lewiston, Idaho 83501
Get Directions
Offer Condolences
Professional Service
✔ Since 1924
✔ Burial or Cremation Services
✔ Pre-Arranged Funeral Plans
✔ Web-Casting
✔ Modern Comfortable Facility
✔ Up-To-Date Audio/Video
Contact Information
1711 18th StreetLewiston, Idaho 83501
P: (208) 743-4578
F: (208) 743-9453
E-mail: malcoms@malcomsfuneralhome.com
The administrative offices are open Monday - Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday are by appointment only.
1711 18th Street