William 'Bill' Reese

WILLIAM J. "BILL" REESE

Newhall

William J. "Bill" Reese, 67, died suddenly Thursday, March 15, 2018, at his home. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 23, at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Atkins with the Rev. Doug Woltemath officiating. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the church. Interment services with full military rites will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 28, at the Iowa Veteran's Cemetery, Adel.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family. Phillips Funeral Home, Vinton, is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com.

William Joseph Reese was born June 3, 1950, in Cedar Rapids, to Harley E. and Charlotte (Groth) Reese. He graduated from Shellsburg High School in 1968. He was united in marriage to Gayle (Gillis) Coberly on Sept. 14, 1996 in Newhall.

Bill served his country in the U.S. Air Force with four years of active duty deployment and two years in the Air Force Reserves. He also served 19 years in the Iowa Air National Guard, retiring on June 3, 1999. He was a member of Ray and Virginia Boyer American Legion Post No. 166 of Shellsburg. Bill always enjoyed getting together with the Tucson group of Iowa Air National Guard.

Bill worked a variety of different jobs. He was a meat cutter at Eagle's Food, bridge construction, Iowa special police and as a jailer for the Benton County Sherriff's Office.

Never knowing a stranger, Bill loved to visit with anyone he met. He also enjoyed watching NASCAR and working on classic cars. His greatest joy was spending time with his grandchildren, Sarah Beebe, Alex Coberly and Leslie and Eric Strottman.

Bill is survived by his wife, Gayle of Newhall; his stepchildren, Dan Coberly and Laurie (Arnold) Strottman of Cedar Rapids; his grandchildren; his sisters, Marrianne (Rod) Biondi of Des Moines and Susan Masek of Chesapeake, Va.; and his sister-in-law, Susan Reese of Omaha, Neb.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harley E. Reese and Charlotte Alden; his stepfather, Stan Alden; his brother, Lee Reese; his brother-in-law, David Masek; and his best friend, James C. Rich.