Fredrick Boyd Reese

Fredrick Boyd Reese, 81, most recently of Killeen, TX went to his Heavenly home the morning of Tuesday, January 14, 2025. He was diagnosed with Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia in November 2024 after being hospitalized due to an extreme blast crisis phase of the cancer. He pleaded with all he came in contact with to read God's Holy Word, live worthy to one day live in God's presence, and pray fervently for Christ's coming.

A visitation will be held at Fry-Smith Funeral Home in Tuscola, Texas on Thursday, January 23 from 5-7pm. A memorial service with Army military honors provided by Fort Cavazos will be held at the pavilion at Bradshaw Cemetery on Friday, January 24 at 11am. The family invites all in attendance at the memorial service to enjoy a time of remembrance with lunch at Kbratz Que, 720 Main Street, Lawn, TX, kindly provided by the family of Joe and Marcheta Mayfield, Fred's aunt and uncle.

Fred was born in Winters, Texas May 28, 1943, the third child of Eva Lee Mayfield and Boyd Norman Reese. He was proud of the generations that he came from and was quick to let you know that he loved and cherished each and every member of both his patriarchal and matriarchal family, past and present. His grandfather, John C.P. Reese and great grandfather, Charles S. Reese, were Texas Rangers.

Fred graduated from El Capitan High School in Lakeside, California in 1963. He joined the United States Army June 22, 1964 and was honorably discharged June 21, 1967. Fred was extremely knowledgeable and worked many jobs in his life. In the 1980s he became an aerospace engineer and eventually retired from Boeing in 2014.

He met the love of his life, Carol Ellen Schlieder, while attending high school in California. They eloped just after Carol's 19th birthday on Oct. 27, 1964. While Dad was in hospice care he was constantly sharing that only God could have brought them together...a blond hair blue eyed girl from Pennsylvania and a dumb ole country boy from Texas. They were married for almost 56 years when Carol was called to her Heavenly home in July of 2020. They were blessed with five children, eight grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

Fred loved all of God's creations and had the privilege throughout his life to care for a variety of animals and passed that love onto all of his descendants. With Carol by his side they founded Reese's Rafter Rocking R Ranch where they raised Texas Longhorns, certified red angus cattle, a horse, pigs, dogs and cats, all of which they cared for as if they were their children.

Fred was preceded in death by: his above named parents, his brother Max Don Story, sisters Billie Mae Reese and Norma Lee Green; granddaughter Kyla Sorcha Geelan, wife Carol Ellen Reese, eldest son George Daniel "Danny" Reese and many beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Left to cherish and carry Fred's legacy are: his eldest daughter, Jenny Elizabeth Reese of West Point, NY; her daughter Chelsey Campos and husband Lee with their daughters, McKayla and Sadie, of Perry, GA; his son, John Edward Reese and wife Sarah with their sons Christian, Jacob, Samuel, and Luke, of Nacogdoches, TX; his daughter Mary Ellen Mock and husband Stephen, of Macon, GA, along with their fur babies who adored their Papa Fred; his daughter Rebecca Suzanne Geelan and husband Jason with their sons, Leo and Ty, of Mountain Home, ID.

We would like to recognize and give our sincere thanks to all of the staff at Hero's Haven Hospice/CLC Bldg C, Olin E. Teague Veterans Center and the staff at Baylor Scott White Hospital in Temple, TX, specifically those working the fifth and fourth floors, the hematology and oncology physicians, and the geriatric/palliative care team.