John L. Reese

October 28, 2010 Mr. John Leon Reese Jr. of Calhoun, Died October 27, 2010. John was born on October 10, 1925 in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, son of the late Norma Watson and John Leon Reese Sr. He graduated from Hewitt High School in Trussville, Alabama, and Auburn University School of Forestry. He served in the United States Navy aboard the U.S.S. Seahorse (submarine service), under the command of Captain Slade O. Cutter U.S.N. Later, he went to work with the Georgia Forestry Commission. In 1953, as a recent graduate of Auburn, he moved his family to Screven County, Ga. to manage the forestry and timber reserve of a 25,000 acre farm known as Millhaven Plantation. Later he was employed by Bowater Paper Company as a District Forester in the Woodlands Division where he worked for thirty five years. He had been a resident of Calhoun since 1956. He served in numerous civic organizations and was a member of the Calhoun First United Methodist Church, where he served on the Board of Stewards. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Lynn Reese Shoffeitt and a sister in law, Louise Collings Gress. His first wife Virginia C. "Ginny" Collings Reese died in August 1986. His high school sweetheart, they were married in 1948. Survivors include his wife Estelle Gay Reese of Calhoun, one son; Pete Reese and his wife Twyla of Calhoun, one daughter; Melissa Lea Reese of Arlington, Virginia; a brother; James Mark "Jim" Reese of Montgomery, Alabama, a sister; Ann Reese Randall of Montgomery, Alabama; brothers and sisters-in-law; John and Sally Collings and family of Mill Valley, California; and Francis and Sue Gress and family of New Canaan Connecticut; step-mother; Ann Reese of Montgomery, Alabama; three grandchildren, Joshua, Emma and Kaytlyn Reese. Graveside and interment services will be conducted at 11:00 A.M. Friday at Chandler Cemetery with Dr. Brian Clark officiating. Pallbearers are Joshua Reese, Pat Thornton, Bobby Reeves, Stanley Chambers, Robert Wages and Jim Matthews. Honorary pallbearers include Ross Bernard of Etowah, Tn., Norman Shaw of Adairsville and Bill Matthews of Calhoun. They are asked to meet at the funeral home at 10:30 A.M. Friday. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. on Thursday. In lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the George Chambers Resources Center, P.O. Box 1996, Calhoun, Ga. 30703. You may sign the online register book at www.thomasfuneralhomecalhoun.com. Thomas Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements for John L. Reese.