RICHARD REESE
Richard Reese departed this life on June 24, 2018.Richard "Speed" Reese was a son of the late Wilhelmina Colclough and Henry Reese. He was born and reared in Sumter County. In September 1961, he joined the United States Army for four and a half years of service. He later met and married Minnie Carolina in May 1963. In 1966, he moved his family to Philadelphia. He went on to work for the United States Postal Service for 38 years, first as a mail handler and later as a managing supervisor. Richard relocated back to Sumter after his retirement in 1993. He faithfully worked at St. Mark United Methodist Church, serving in many capacities such as president of the United Methodist Men, Trustee Board, PPRC, chairperson of the Administrative Council, certified lay speaker and lay leader, member of the male choir, VIP Choir and the Golden Voices Choir. He was an active member of the Salterstown Community, where he was a member of the baseball team for many years. He also served as a troop leader in the Boy Scouts, first in Philadelphia and later in Sumter.
Richard leaves to cherish his memories: the love of his life for 55 years, his wife, Minnie Reese; beloved children, Johnnie Alston of Pennsauken, New Jersey, Richard Reese Jr. of San Antonio, Marvin Reese of Philadelphia, Mahrod Reese of London, England, Jimmy McCoy of Sumter and former son-in-law, James H. Alston III of Pennsauken; his grandchildren, Marcus Alston, Qaadir Hughes Quashawn Hughes, Soleil Reese, Miyon LeMay, Nysara Reese, Denver Reese, Justin Brunson, Isaiah Swint McCoy, Jayden McCoy and Jordan Lee McCoy; a loving sister, Betty Jean Reese; sisters-in-law, Betty C. Reese, Ruby G. Merchant, Ernestine Hayward, Marie Carolina, Edith Carolina and Betty Pressley; brothers-in-law, Leroy Carolina, Willie Carolina, Roger Merchant and Thomas Pressley; a host of other relatives and friends.
He was a surrogate father figure to many of his nieces and nephews, Brenda Reese, Bryan Reese, Tyshawn Atkinson, Derrick Reese, Dedoya Brunson, Deatra Brown, Rose Marie Carolina, Jerry Carolina, Leroy Carolina Jr., Randy Carolina and Thomas Wesley Hayward. He was "PopPop" and Uncle Richard to many of the children and members of Saint Mark UMC. His devoted brother friends, Leroy Pringle Jr., Robert Dinkins, Joseph Johnson, Sam Session, Carl Johnson and Nathaniel "Cab" Butler; and sister friends, Genave Hudson, Ann Roundtree, Delores Lemus and Veola Magazine.
He was preceded in death by his sisters, Martha Reese, Henrietta Brown and Jessie Mae Reese; and his brothers, James Reese, Henry Reese Jr. and Jimmy Golden.
Public viewing will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. today at Job's Mortuary.
Mr. Reese will be placed in the church at 11 a.m. on Saturday for viewing until the hour of service.
Funeral services will be held at noon on Saturday at St. Mark United Methodist Church, 1093 Oswego Highway, Sumter, with Pastor Geneva Stafford officiating. Interment will follow at St. Mark Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at 2015 Florence Highway, Sumter.
Job's Mortuary Inc., 312 S. Main St., Sumter, is in charge of arrangements.
Online memorials may be sent to the family at jobsmortuary@sc.rr.com or visit us on the web at www.jobsmortuary.net.