Patricia Ray Pitts Reese<\/strong><\/p>

1931 ~ 2021<\/strong><\/p>

Our beloved mother and grandmother, Patricia Ray Pitts Reese, 90, passed away peacefully on August 23, 2021.\u00a0 Patty was born on July 6, 1931 in Silver City, New Mexico to Reece Duke Pitts and Estella Marie Moore Pitts.\u00a0 She grew up in Riverside, New Mexico and had an idyllic childhood along the banks of the Gila River and atop the surrounding mesas.\u00a0 Patty attended school in Cliff, New Mexico and graduated high school as the valedictorian of her senior class. She attended business school in Albuquerque for a short time then returned home and worked as the office manager at the White Water Lodge in Glenwood, New Mexico for several summers.\u00a0<\/p>

She married Manny De La Torre in 1952 and moved to El Paso, TX.\u00a0 They had two children, Melissa in 1953 and Rick in 1954. They divorced in 1954 and Patty and the kids moved back to Riverside.\u00a0 She worked at American National Bank in Silver City for several years and then met and married a WWII Veteran, Shirl Wayne Reese, in 1956.\u00a0 They moved to the Reese home on \u201cE\u201d Street in Silver City and added two sons to the family-Jeff in 1957 and Wayne in 1960.\u00a0 They moved to Riverside several years later to raise their family. In 2004 Patty moved to Highland, Utah to live with her daughter, Melissa and her family and has resided there the past 17 years.<\/p>

Patty loved to read and shared that love with her children and grandchildren. She was intelligent, creative and had a wonderful sense of humor. She always had a positive attitude and a beautiful, radiant smile that would light up a room. Patty had a gift of compassion and kindness and loved serving others. She loved being at home with her children and waited until they were older to go to work. In 1965 mom became the Postmaster of Cliff-a job that she loved for over 10 years.\u00a0 She would go on to work for many years as a caregiver for seriously ill family members and friends. Patty was an avid basketball fan-watching games simply won’t be the same without her!\u00a0 She will be sorely missed by her family and many friends!\u00a0 The world has lost a beautiful soul!<\/p>

Patty is survived by her children, Melissa Bowen (Bruce) Highland, UT, Jeff Reese (Debbie) Silver City, NM, and Wayne Reese (Carla) Silver City, NM, 14 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild.\u00a0 She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Rose Wilmeth, her husband, Shirl Reese, a son, Rick, a grandson, Clayton and a niece, Pam Calloway.<\/p>

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, August 26, 2021 at\u00a011:00 am in the Highland 24^{th<\/sup> Ward Chapel,\u00a05212 West Country Club Drive in Highland, Utah.\u00a0 A viewing will be held one hour prior to the service at 10:00 -10:45 am.<\/p>}

An additional funeral service will be held in the Gila, Chapel, 420 Highway 211, Gila, New Mexico on Saturday, August 28, 2021 at 11:00 am with a viewing held one hour prior to the service at 10:00-10:45 am. Interment will be at the Mesa Cemetery in Gila, New Mexico.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t