Robert "Bob" Harvey Reese's Obituary
Robert (Bob) Harvey Reese, 90, of Huntersville died on August 14, 2023. Bob was born on September 22, 1932 in Yonkers, New York, to the late Samuel Joseph Vincent Reese and Margaret Ann Potter Reese.
Bob joined the U.S. Air Force at age 17 on March 1, 1950. During the Korean War, he was stationed at Tokyo Bay. After volunteering to go to Korea as an infantry medic, Bob was instead assigned as an Air/Sea Rescue medic on an Air Force Crash Rescue Boat near Tokyo Bay during flight tests of North American F-86 fighter jets and nearly lost his life when the boat engine quit and waters were too deep for their rescue. Bob survived by abandoning ship for a life raft, and later rotated home before his discharge in September 1953.
After leaving service, Bob was employed by Grumman Aerospace Corporation to write test and checkout procedures at the Kennedy Space Center as well altitude chamber tests at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston for the Apollo Program’s Lunar Module. He later functioned as the support software configuration manager for Grumman’s F-14 Tomcat at the Point Mugu Naval Air Station. While working at Grumman, Bob met and fell in love with the woman who ultimately became his wife, Janice Jones. Bob and Janice had three daughters.
Later in life, Bob graduated from California State University at Northridge with a bachelor’s degree in Communication. He also was a sociable man of many hobbies and became a published author, a voracious crossword puzzler, reader, and war movie connoisseur, and a member of the Lions Club, the American Legion, and the Korean War Veterans Association.
Finally, and most significantly, Bob was a born-again Christian and servant of Jesus Christ, serving Him as a member of Huntersville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church for many years.
Bob is preceded in death by his wife Janice, his grandson Sean, and his grandson Joshua. He is survived by his daughters: Teri Parrish-Landsem, Robin Bouchez (Mark), and April Ann Reese; eight grandchildren: Benjamin (Kelli), Shannon (Christopher), Jonathan (Stephanie), Sabrina, Nicholas (Amy), Ashley, Cody, and Bonnie (Marcos); and nine great-grandchildren: Asher, Savannah-Lyn, Emma-Leigh, Colby, Payton, Hayden, Brett, Daltyn, and Brooklyn.
Bob’s funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 18 at Huntersville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church with visitation one hour prior in the sanctuary. His burial will follow in the church cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the World Witness-Cochran Fund, https://worldwitness.org/missionary/michael-and-laura-cochran.
James Funeral Home of Huntersville is serving the family.
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