Billy Bob Reese's Obituary
Billy Bob Reese
Funeral services for Billy Bob Reese of Longview will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 4, 2012 at the Gum Springs Christian Church with Dr. Raymond Boulter, Jr. officiating. Interment will be in the Gum Springs Cemetery under the direction of Rader's Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 6 – 8 p.m. at Rader's on Friday, February 3, 2012. Mr. Reese died on Thursday, February 2, 2012.
Billy Bob was born in Longview, Texas on September 21, 1924 to Charles L. and Jodie Cope Reese. He started school at the Gum Springs Community School, a two-room schoolhouse where he was taught by Ermine Kuykendall and Floyd Williamson. He attended Longview High for one year and then graduated from Hallsville High School in 1941.
After graduation, Billy Bob joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was assigned to the 376th Heavy Bombardment Group. As an engineer gunner on a B-24 Liberator he was wounded on a bombing mission over Munich, Germany, June 9, 1944 and received the Purple Heart and other medals for his service to his country.
Upon his return to Longview, he went to work for John Kuykendall, General Contractor, as an apprentice carpenter. This family and their son, Weldon, were great friends and influenced his life in many ways. Since Billy Bob's mother and father had already passed away, the Kuykendall's, his Aunt Effie Grimes, and the Cole Roger's family shaped his life in the years ahead.
Billy Bob married Neva Nell Meadows in 1948 and they moved to the Gum Springs Community where they raised three children and lived for over sixty years. Nell was his true partner in business and life.
After working for John Kuykendall and Shawnee Construction, Billy Bob started his own business, B.B. Reese Construction, in 1961 as a general contractor performing commercial construction, including numerous projects over the East Texas area. He was a member of the Associated General Contractors of America and served as President of the East Texas Chapter after serving many years as a board member. Among a few of the buildings he is proud to leave behind is the Lacy Oil Company Building, Trinity Episcopal Church and First State Bank of Hallsville, where he served as Bank Director for over thirty-one years.
During forty years of construction, he was proud of the work that he and his son, Bob Reese, did constructing many school buildings along with a new football stadium for the Hallsville Independent School District. He served as school board member of HISD for 27 years and as President of the board for 10 years. Billy Bob was awarded Distinguished Alumni of Hallsville High School in 1985. He served as former president of the Hallsville Area Chamber of Commerce, was the director and president of the Hallsville Lions Club, and a member of the Knights of Pythian, and was a member of the Hallsville "H" Association.
Billy Bob was active in the Hallsville Boy's Baseball Association serving as coach for many years. He enjoyed many years of hunting deer and quail on a lease out of Mason, Texas with his sons, Randall and Bob.
He was a member of the First Christian Church of Gum Springs for nearly 60 years where he taught Sunday school, served as church treasurer, and Chairman of the Board. He was faithful to maintain the church's facilities and landscape.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Neva Nell Reese, parents, Charlie L. and Jodie Cope Reese, daughter, Kathryn Reese Bourland, and brothers, Charles Reese and Frank Sonny Reese.
He is survived by a sister, JoAnn Mickle of Garland, Texas; his son, Randall Reese and wife, Debbie, of Longview; and his son, Bob Reese, of Hallsville. Pop leaves behind four granddaughters, Devin Mikhail and husband, Karim, of Atlanta, GA.; Rachael McClurg and husband, Kevin, of Chicago, IL; Brooke Hailey of Longview; and Lauren Jewett and husband, Scott, of Raleigh, NC. His precious great granddaughters, Addison Hailey and Paisley Sams, brought a smile to his face.
The family would like to thank Frankie Bryan, his office manager and personal assistant. Her dedication and integrity was a great asset to the B.B. Reese Construction business. The family also thanks caregivers: Brenda Dupler, Tanya Wallace, Jolene Jennings, and Sherry Morgan of Senior Care Registry, as well as Texas Home Health Hospice.
In lieu of flowers, family asks that memorials be made to the Gum Springs Christian Church, 2250 Gum Springs Road, Longview, Texas, 75602 .
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