Reeves Sr.

William Franklin Reeves Sr., 83, of Chicora died unexpectedly at 10:31 a.m. Wednesday at ACMH Hospital, Kittanning.

Mr. Reeves was born in Pittsburgh, Jan. 29, 1927. He was the son of Major Lee Sr. and Emily Coleman Reeves.

He was a Protestant and had been a member of the North Butler Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Reeves was a 1944 graduate of Butler High School and a U.S. Merchant Marine veteran of World War II. Mr. Reeves took pride in his military service, having "crossed the pond" 26 times.

He enjoyed baking, cooking, entertaining and was well known for his turtle soup. He enjoyed the company of his family, especially his grandchildren.

He was a member of the Dierken Ritzert American Legion Post 642 of Chicora, the Dexter Leroy Donaldson VFW Post 7876 of Chicora and the Slovak Sokol Society. He was a life member of the Chicora Moose Lodge, the Happy Hunters Club in Fenelton and the NRA.

Mr. Reeves retired in 1987 from the roll grinder department at Armco Steel in Butler.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Suzanne Trimbur Reeves, who he married at the St. Peter Rectory in Butler on Aug. 26, 1950. Also surviving are five children, Alice Kim Sharifi and her husband, Jamshid, of Arlington, Va., William Franklin Reeves Jr. and his wife, Janis, of Chicora, Nancy Jayne Potts and her husband, John, of Falls Church, Va., Heidi Lou Drennen and her husband, Eric, of Chicora, and Vicki Lynn White and her husband, George, of Chicora; 15 grandchildren; a great-grandson; three brothers, Charles Reeves of Illinois, Donald Reeves of Chicora and Major Lee Reeves Jr. of Ridgway; a sister, Joan Burr, of Cabot; and a number of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two children, Pamela Sue Genovese, who died June 14, 1981, and Barbara Jean Swindler, who died Aug. 21, 2005; and a grandson, Kyle Holmes, who died Aug. 10, 1990.

<B>REEVES</B> — Friends of William Franklin Reeves Sr., who died Wednesday, May 12, 2010, will be received from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the <B>Hile Funeral Home of Chicora</B>, 339 Chicora Fenelton Road, Chicora. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. James A. Higgins, pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Chicora, officiating.Memorial contributions may be made to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2217 Chicora Road, Chicora, PA 16025 or to the Retired Sisters of the Mount Alvernia Mother House, 146 Hawthorn Drive, Millvale, PA 15209.For additional information, directions or to send a condolence, please visit www.hilefh.com.