Leo A Reeve

Leo Albert Reeve, 78, of Fruitland, passed away Saturday, August 4, 2012 at his home. Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m., Friday, Aug. 10th at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Payette. Cremation and services are under the direction of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, Fruitland. Condolences may be made to Leo's family at www.shaffer-jensenchapel.com.

Leo Albert Reeve was born January 2, 1934, in Thayer, Kansas to Orvall and Osa (Demorest) Reeve, the middle child of nine. His growing-up years were spent on the family farm in southeast Kansas. He graduated from high school in Altoona, Kansas. Always a hard worker, Leo left home at the age of 18 and worked for a year in a feed mill near Topeka, Kansas. After a brief period of painting combines at a factory in Kansas City he set out for California. At 20, with his brother's help he found a job at Western Electric, the repair division of Bell Telephone, in the San Francisco Bay area. On November 27, 1955, he married Leona May Hanson and moved to Oakland. A short time later they moved to Tennessee until he was drafted by Uncle Sam in 1956. His daughters were born while he was in the service. Following his two years in the Army he and his family began an adventure-packed trip back to California. As they passed through Missouri they picked up his sister and her two baby girls. It must have been a sight! Leo pulled a 33-foot trailer house, heavily loaded, with a 1/2 ton pickup. There were no freeways in those days and the roads were narrow and hilly. He would roar down a hill as fast as he could--the trailer wig-wagging behind him--so he could make it up the next hill, just barely. Then he would repeat the act on the following hill. Leona and his sister, Lola Fay, followed in their 49 Plymouth. His sister spent the time leaning over the back seat like a praying mantis trying to keep four babies under the age of sixteen months comfortable with no air conditioning in a hot September. After a year and a half the family moved to Colorado where his oldest son was born. Three years later they moved to Fruitland, Idaho to be near Leona's parents, and bought a small farm. Over time the farm expanded to include a wrecking yard and used car dealership. His fourth child, a son, was born there. In 2001, Leo closed the shop and dealership and moved with his wife to a smaller home where he continued to be involved in farming even though his son had officially taken over the farm. He always had a huge garden. He was an active member in the Seventh day Adventist church and also a member of the Soil Conservation Service for several years. Leo did custom silage chopping and swathing throughout this valley for many years. Leo was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and a daughter, Corinne. He is survived by Leona, his wife of 57 years, a daughter, Charlotte of Bullhead City, Arizona, two sons, Warren and Lyle of Fruitland, a granddaughter and two grandsons. He was a good neighbor and will be sorely missed by his widow, children and grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Christian Record Services or National Camps for Blind Children, c/o Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, P.O. Box 730, Payette, ID 83661

Service Details.

Service

When: Friday, August 10th, 2012
Location: Funeral Home
Address: