Steven L. Reese, age 61, passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014.
Steven was born Feb. 24, 1953, in Lewiston, to Clinton and Dorothy (Thomas) Reese. He was an only child until his father remarried. His stepmother, Priscilla Reynolds, had two children, Wendell and Echo, and soon gave birth to his sister, Lori. His mother also remarried and gave Steven a brother, Casey, and two sisters, Cindy and Dawn.
He attended several grade schools in the area until his father's work transferred him to Arcata, Calif. He completed his schooling, graduating from Arcata High School in 1972. Steven loved playing guitar and drums, and also loved hunting and fishing. He enjoyed sports and was very athletic and lettered in football, baseball and wrestling. He made All-County.
After high school he went to the College of the Redwoods in Eureka, Calif., for a short time, then he joined the U.S. Air Force as a security specialist. This was the start of his law enforcement career. He was in Vietnam, the Philippines and finally stationed at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. He surprised his family returning home on Thanksgiving Day 1976.
Steven was a deputy sheriff in Lewis County and then in Idaho County. He became homesick for his friends he had back in California, so he packed his bags and went to Arcata, where he met up with his friend, Tim. Steven resumed school, earning his Peace Officers Standards and Training certificate. He worked for the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office as a deputy sheriff when he met Mary Freitas in November 1979. They had their first date on New Year's Eve and were married eight months later, eloping to Reno on Aug. 30, 1980. The marriage ended in divorce 27 years later. However, they remained friends and she cared and nursed him for the next seven years until his death.
Nine years into their marriage, they received their most precious gift, their son, whom they named after both grandfathers, Clinton Albert Reese. He's been their joy for the past 25 years. When their son turned 3, the family moved to Priest River, Idaho, for five years and then settled in Lewiston, where Steve remained until his death.
He played drums in a country-western band in California called The Roadmasters. They fronted for a lot of big names like Sawyer Brown, the Bellamy Brothers and many more.
He is survived by his father, Clint; stepmother Betty; son Clinton; brother Casey; sister-in-law Becky; sister Lori; uncle Bob; and several stepsiblings; cousins, nephews and nieces; as well as his ex-wife, Mary.
The Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake, Wash., is where he rests.
Please sign the online guest book at www.merchantfuneralhome.com.
