Gerald Merle "Gerry" Reeves

1937 - 2014

Reeves, Gerald Merle "Gerry" SAN DIEGO -- Gerald Merle Reeves was born October 3, 1937 in Kansas City, MO. His parents were Lowell B. and Helen R. Reeves. The family moved to Los Angeles in 1940 and a sister, Patricia Lee Reeves was born a year later. He died August 27, 2014 at the Veteran's Hospital in La Jolla, CA caused by complications of Pancreatic Cancer. He gave it the gallant fight! He attended St. Michael's Elementary School, Junipero Serra High School and graduated from George Washington High School in Los Angeles, CA. He briefly attend a Christian Bros. Seminary in Buffalo, NY and thought it was a trifle too cold! California and Arizona were more to his liking. He became interested in music at a young age and was a talented violinist and passionate about Broadway musicals, movies and stage productions. He also found his love of writing at an early age and founded his own neighborhood newspaper. He became interested in photography and was seldom seen without his trusty Nikon. He attended Harbor Junior College and then the University of Southern California. While at USC, he was active in Theta Xi fraternity, Squires, Blue Key, Knights and TNE. He wrote for the Daily Trojan and graduated with a degree in Journalism and with many life-long friends. He loved his Trojan family and USC football and often wrote the university as well as the sports pages his views. After graduation, he joined the United States Air Force and was a Public Information Officer at Castle Air Force Base. He attended Boston University and graduated with a Masters in Public Relations. As a civilian, he worked for several newspapers in California and Arizona as a reporter and as an editor, including the San Diego Union-Tribune. In the late 1960's, he married Susan Loizeaux and they later divorced. Ever looking for new challenges, he worked for Lewis and Associates in Los Angeles and Cubic Corp in San Diego. Retiring from Cubic, he became even more involved in the community. He was active in the San Diego Trojan Club, volunteered for The Del Mar Fair, was a Midway Aircraft Carrier Volunteer and was very involved in the community theater in San Diego. He worked with Scripps Ranch Theater, Powpac Community Theater, and was actively involved with the Lamplighters Community Theatre. He worked for The Rose Bowl and BCS Games in the press box and loved it! He is survived by his sister Patricia Milius (Bill) , longtime friends Doug Matheson and Mark Loveless and his San Diego family, Chuck Loveless, Ron Larson, and Brenda and Duane Leake. Of course, he will be missed by all who knew him as a kind and generous friend and mentor. He was positive, witty, a word master and always willing to help and give encouragement. His favorite phrase was "Fight On!". A Military Memorial Ceremony will be held in his honor on Friday, October 17, 2014, at 11:30 at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in his name to: the USC Athletic Department or to Lamplighters Community Theatre, 5911 Severin Dr., La Mesa, CA 91942 Attn: Judy Hughes.