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JAMES E. REAVES 1915 - 2007 James E. Reaves, 92, passed into eternal life on July 31, 2007. His passing is mourned by his wife of 72 years, Muriel "Mims" Reaves; his son, Ralph Reaves and his wife, Jeanette, and their children, Debby, Mark, Greg and Eric; his daughter, Ann Brown and her husband, Terry, and their children, James and Matthew; and his son, Jeff Reaves and his wife, Annette, and their children, Melinda, Jennifer, Eric, Brian and Adam; as well as his "adopted children" - son, Dave and his wife, Kathi, and their children, Turner, Jodi, and Regina, daughter, Marie, and son, Roy and his wife, Becky, and their children, Patte, Dee Dee, Katie, Janie and Jessica. We all mourn his passing from us but we celebrate his life and his passing on into God's loving care. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather and gave his love and guidance to all he encountered. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge for 50 years. He served his country as a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy's newly formed Underwater Demolition Teams (known informally as the "Frogmen" and now known officially as the Navy Seals) in the campaign for the Marshall Islands at Roi Namur and Kwajalein. In 1995 and 2005, the 50th and 60th anniversaries of that campaign, he was honored by the U.S. military in a special ceremony on Kwajalein as a representative of the fighting men who served during that operation (known as Operation Flintlock). His dog tags have become a permanent part of the stained glass mural in the chapel on Kwajalein. He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Disabled American Veterans. He was a builder and a contractor most of his life. He was a 60-year member of the United Association of Plumbers and Steam Fitters, Associated Mechanical Contractors, and the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Contractors Association. He served as Chief of Building and Grounds and Chief Mechanical Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Munich, Germany; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Great Falls, Montana; Grand Forks, North Dakota; St. Louis, Missouri; Panama Canal Zone; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and for Raytheon Corporation in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. He also worked for several years for Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque. He and his wife, Mims, loved to travel and, in addition to their overseas assignments, they circumnavigated the globe twice. He was most recently a member of Sandia Baptist Church and previously with First Baptist Church of Albuquerque. Cremation and private interment have taken place. Memorial Services will be held Saturday, August 4, 2007, 4:00 p.m. at French Mortuary, Lomas Blvd. Chapel, with Rev. Marvin Capehart officiating. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Presbyterian Hospice Foundation, 8100 Constitution Pl. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110, whose services were invaluable to him and his family. French Mortuary, Inc. 10500 Lomas Blvd. NE (505) 275-3500 www.frenchmortuary.com
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