JD Reece was born in New Bern, NC on June 12, 1924 to John William Reece by Flossie Ola Owens Reece.
JD grew up during the Great Depression but never wanted for food or love. Although his Dad passed away when JD was 9, his older sister Juanita [later Juanita Reece Rowe] and his mother gave him all he needed. His mother, a tough-minded business woman reopened the family grocery that had failed under JW, Reece's Grocery, about 5 blocks east of Five-points in New Bern, NC. While no kids had shoes in those days, JD loved to play the "General" during war games by hiring an army with penny candy he had swiped from the store.
JD played high school football for the New Bern High School Bears and graduated in 1941, then attended NC State College in Electrical Engineering. Before the US was drawn into WWII, JD went to Canada to enlist in the RAF but was rejected because of an eyesight deficiency. A serious bout with pleurisy then brought him back to New Bern and during that time he met his future wife, Eleanor Mae Tippett, and they were married in 1942. He worked for a while with the Power & Light Department but then came back to the family store after his mother became ill. JD and Eleanor had one child, John David, Jr. [Dunn, NC], born on Feb 12, 1949.
JD had a strong sense of community so he joined the Button Co. in the New Bern Volunteer Fire Department and served for over 30 years, twice serving as Chief. He was a 32 Deg Mason, AF&AM, and was a Shriner. He had many, many friends.
JD loved life, his family, his town, good whiskey with friends, and the NC State Wolfpack.
As the song says, "The good, they die young …" – JD passed away when he was 50.
JD grew up during the Great Depression but never wanted for food or love. Although his Dad passed away when JD was 9, his older sister Juanita [later Juanita Reece Rowe] and his mother gave him all he needed. His mother, a tough-minded business woman reopened the family grocery that had failed under JW, Reece's Grocery, about 5 blocks east of Five-points in New Bern, NC. While no kids had shoes in those days, JD loved to play the "General" during war games by hiring an army with penny candy he had swiped from the store.
JD played high school football for the New Bern High School Bears and graduated in 1941, then attended NC State College in Electrical Engineering. Before the US was drawn into WWII, JD went to Canada to enlist in the RAF but was rejected because of an eyesight deficiency. A serious bout with pleurisy then brought him back to New Bern and during that time he met his future wife, Eleanor Mae Tippett, and they were married in 1942. He worked for a while with the Power & Light Department but then came back to the family store after his mother became ill. JD and Eleanor had one child, John David, Jr. [Dunn, NC], born on Feb 12, 1949.
JD had a strong sense of community so he joined the Button Co. in the New Bern Volunteer Fire Department and served for over 30 years, twice serving as Chief. He was a 32 Deg Mason, AF&AM, and was a Shriner. He had many, many friends.
JD loved life, his family, his town, good whiskey with friends, and the NC State Wolfpack.
As the song says, "The good, they die young …" – JD passed away when he was 50.
JD Reece was born in New Bern, NC on June 12, 1924 to John William Reece by Flossie Ola Owens Reece.
JD grew up during the Great Depression but never wanted for food or love. Although his Dad passed away when JD was 9, his older sister Juanita [later Juanita Reece Rowe] and his mother gave him all he needed. His mother, a tough-minded business woman reopened the family grocery that had failed under JW, Reece's Grocery, about 5 blocks east of Five-points in New Bern, NC. While no kids had shoes in those days, JD loved to play the "General" during war games by hiring an army with penny candy he had swiped from the store.
JD played high school football for the New Bern High School Bears and graduated in 1941, then attended NC State College in Electrical Engineering. Before the US was drawn into WWII, JD went to Canada to enlist in the RAF but was rejected because of an eyesight deficiency. A serious bout with pleurisy then brought him back to New Bern and during that time he met his future wife, Eleanor Mae Tippett, and they were married in 1942. He worked for a while with the Power & Light Department but then came back to the family store after his mother became ill. JD and Eleanor had one child, John David, Jr. [Dunn, NC], born on Feb 12, 1949.
JD had a strong sense of community so he joined the Button Co. in the New Bern Volunteer Fire Department and served for over 30 years, twice serving as Chief. He was a 32 Deg Mason, AF&AM, and was a Shriner. He had many, many friends.
JD loved life, his family, his town, good whiskey with friends, and the NC State Wolfpack.
As the song says, "The good, they die young …" – JD passed away when he was 50.
JD grew up during the Great Depression but never wanted for food or love. Although his Dad passed away when JD was 9, his older sister Juanita [later Juanita Reece Rowe] and his mother gave him all he needed. His mother, a tough-minded business woman reopened the family grocery that had failed under JW, Reece's Grocery, about 5 blocks east of Five-points in New Bern, NC. While no kids had shoes in those days, JD loved to play the "General" during war games by hiring an army with penny candy he had swiped from the store.
JD played high school football for the New Bern High School Bears and graduated in 1941, then attended NC State College in Electrical Engineering. Before the US was drawn into WWII, JD went to Canada to enlist in the RAF but was rejected because of an eyesight deficiency. A serious bout with pleurisy then brought him back to New Bern and during that time he met his future wife, Eleanor Mae Tippett, and they were married in 1942. He worked for a while with the Power & Light Department but then came back to the family store after his mother became ill. JD and Eleanor had one child, John David, Jr. [Dunn, NC], born on Feb 12, 1949.
JD had a strong sense of community so he joined the Button Co. in the New Bern Volunteer Fire Department and served for over 30 years, twice serving as Chief. He was a 32 Deg Mason, AF&AM, and was a Shriner. He had many, many friends.
JD loved life, his family, his town, good whiskey with friends, and the NC State Wolfpack.
As the song says, "The good, they die young …" – JD passed away when he was 50.
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