Funeral services for Willie Reagan will be held Tuesday, March 5, at 2:00 P.M. at First Baptist Church Grapeland with Matt Raines and Gary Luker officiating. Family visitation will be Monday, March 4, from 6:00-8:00 P.M. at the Bailey Foster Chapel on the 287 Bypass in Grapeland, TX.
“Don’t sweat the small stuff” was one of Willie’s favorite ways of telling folks whom he loved to not worry. Then he would always add “and it’s ALL small stuff”. We knew that he meant in light of eternity with Jesus and after making the decision to trust Christ for salvation, it is all small stuff down here. Today, he is seeing just how small it all was because he is now experiencing eternity with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Willie Ray Reagan was born on September 15, 1931 to William H. Reagan and Crystal Green Reagan in Hico, LA. His formative years were during the Great Depression so he learned very early in life to make do with what he had. Other factors, such as his father serving in Guam during WWII, helped reinforce the ethic of hard work and dedication to family. When he married Earline Green (not blood-related!), his beloved wife of 62 years, in March of 1950, he promised her that there would always be meat on their table. And he made good on that promise.
Willie served in the US Air Force during the Korean conflict and had duty stations from Missouri to Wyoming to Greenland. It was while he was stationed in Cheyenne, WY that his first child, William (Billy and later Bill) was born Willie flew back home to Louisiana to meet his new son. Over the next 18 years, 4 more children were added to the loving home of Willie and Earline.
Willie gave his life to Christ as a young father and began serving in a local church. He soon felt the call to ministry and was ordained to the gospel ministry in 1964. The Lord never allowed Willie to get a seminary degree or to serve large churches as a full time vocational pastor. The Lord used him to minister in churches that weren’t financially able to support full time staff. But even though his positions were part-time, he was the first to tell you there isn’t any such thing as part-time ministry. It takes many hours and much dedication to shepherd a flock well.
When Willie retired from Dow Chemical in the early 1980s, he and Earline moved from the Brazosport area to the rolling hills and tall trees of east Texas. They were relieved to get away from the abundant mosquito population the Freeport area is known for. They settled into life in the country, outside of Elkhart, and kept ministering together at churches and nursing homes for the next 28 years.
Then Willie lost the first love of his life in May 2012. The Lord saw that he was alone and said this is not good, so He brought another wonderful lady into Willie’s life, one who “just happened” to have spent 50 years of her life as a preacher’s wife. So at age 82 and her at 79, Willie and Caryl Mobley were married at First Baptist Church in Grapeland, TX. They have also served together in their church and filled in at other local churches as needed. Willie never turned down an opportunity to preach if he was at all able to do so. Caryl was very supportive in this and was always by his side as he did so.
Those who have gone on before Willie are his parents, his wife, Sidney Earline Green Reagan, his oldest child, William (Bill) Sidney Reagan, his brother Robert (Bob/Buster) Reagan, sisters-in-law, Joyce Reagan and Glenda Reagan.
Those left to press on in his absence are: wife, Caryl; brother Duane Reagan (Rose); daughter Bonnie Patterson (James); sons David Reagan (Tammy); Mike Reagan (Debbie), and Mark Reagan; bonus sons Mark Mobley (Donna), Chris Mobley (Patsy), and Timothy Mobley (Maria); grandchildren Ryan Bass, Shanda Bass, Nancy Dore’, Kris Reagan, Echo Garcia, Dalton Reagan, and William Trace Reagan. Bonus grandchildren are Andrea Putman, Alan Patterson, Steve Johnson, Jennah Johnson, Grace Leiber, Samantha Mobley, Jed Mobley, Mitchell Mobley, and Matthew Mobley. There are many great grandchildren and a few great, great grandchildren. As Willie used to tell Earline at every full family gathering, “Look at what you started!!” He also leaves his nieces and nephews, whom he loved dearly, and many special friends whom he also considered family. You were only allowed to be a guest in his home once; after that, you were family!
Those honored to serve as pallbearers are Willie’s grandsons: Ryan Bass, Alan Patterson, Kris Reagan, Dalton Reagan, William Trace Reagan, Jed Mobley, and honorary pall bearer, Steve Johnson.
Willie’s family wishes to express their sincere appreciation to the fine folks at Traditions Hospice, Whitehall Rehab and Nursing, and special care takers who are now family: Tabatha Anderson, Hayley Paul, and Demitric Hickman.
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