Earl G. Reeves Passes

Earl G. Reeves, age 95, of Oswego, Illinois passed away on Wednesday, December 7, 2011.

He was born January 13, 1916, in Gridley, Illinois, the son of the late James B and Mary (Kratz) Reeves. He was united in marriage to Ruth Louise Rohrbaugh of Decatur, IL on June 20, 1940. Earl was a graduate of El Paso Township High School and Illinois State University.  

He taught Vocational Agriculture and Biology in Malta High School for two years.  Earl had a 33 year carreer  with Pfister Associated Growers, Inc. (P.A.G) and its successor, W. R. Grace & Co. prior to the company’s acquisition by Cargill & Co.  During his years with the hybrid seed corn and sorghum operations, Earl was located in Ames and Cedar Falls, Iowa and in El Paso and Aurora, IL.  During his last eight years with the company and prior to 1972, he was the company’s General Manager.  From 1973 to 1993 he was a Sales Repesentative of McEnroe Real Estate in Aurora, IL. At various times over the years Earl was active in school, charitable and community organizations having served as president and director of El Paso Township High School Board of Education and its successor, the El Paso Community Unit School District. 

Earl was also active in Junior Achievement, Family Counseling and the Catholic Charities of the Diocese  of Joliet.  In Aurora he was a Director of the Greater Aurora Chamber of Commerce, United Community Service (U.C.S), Board of Realtors, UMCA and in Oswego the Foundation For Educational Excellence (OFEE). Earl was an active parishioner of Holy Angels Catholic Church in Aurora, IL for sixteen years and St. Anne Catholic Church in Oswego, IL for over forty years.

He is survived by his daughter Marjorie (the late Jerry) Kiley of Oswego, IL, two sons Michael Reeves of Batavia, IL and Edward (Christine) Reeves, of Vernon Hills, IL.  His grandchildren, Sandra (Kevin) Roadhouse of Hennepin, IL, Patricia (Philip) Harper of Plano, IL, Jeremy (Ricarda) Reeves of Batavia, IL, Nathan (Jackie) Reeves of Chicago, IL, Jonathan (Shila) Reeves of Leavenworth, WA, Elizabeth Reeves of Vernon Hills, IL, Great Grandchildren, Jason, Jessica, Zachary, Brandon,  Alecia, Jasper, Julian and his first great-great grandchild Kiley.  He is also survived by his sister Dorothy (Norbert) Petri of Minonk, IL, Sisters-In-Law Genevieve Reeves of El Paso, IL and Marge Cochran of Ft. Meyers, FL.  

Earl would like to thank his loving caregiver Ola Argiros for her devotion the last two years of his life.

Earl was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Ruth, Granddaughter Susan Kiley, Son-In-Law Jerry Kiley, Nanette Reeves, brothers Bernard (Vera) Reeves, James (Erma) Reeves, Virgil Reeves, sisters Loretta O’Rouke & Helen Hock.  He was also preceded in death by his nieces Rita Keeley and Susan Cochran, Nephew Dennis O’Rourke, Brothers-in-law Ray Hock, Francis O’Rouke, Oscar Allen Rohrbaugh and Charles Cochran, his mother-in-law and father-in-law Oscar and Hazel Rohrbaugh.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, December 11, 2011 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at DUNN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME with CREMATORY, 1801 S. Douglas Rd., Oswego, IL.  

Mass of Christian Burial will be co-celebrated by Fr. David Hankus and Fr. Daniel Stempora on Monday, December 12, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Anne Catholic Church, 551 Boulder Hill Pass, Owego, IL.  Graveside services will be held at 2:30 p.m., Monday, December 12, 2011, St. Joseph Cemetery, El Paso, Il.

Memorials may be directed to either the Susan M. Kiley Memorial Scholarship Fund, P. O. Box 187, Oswego, IL 60543-0187 or Catholic Charities, 203 N. Ottawa St., Joliet, IL, 60432.For additional information 630-554-3888.