Mr. Leonard Downs Reese III

Leonard Downs Reese III, of Tatum, TX, a proud veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, passed away on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 in Longview, TX. Leonard was born August 31, 1948 in Natrona Heights, PA to Ruth Elizabeth McMaster Reese and Leonard Downs Reese, Jr. He moved with his family to Houston, TX in 1960. He married his soulmate, Cynthia Jameson Reese, in 1975 in Tatum, TX. They had two children, Elizabeth Jameson Reese and Leonard Downs Reese IV. Leonard is survived by his wife of 47 years, Cynthia Jameson Reese; daughter Elizabeth Jameson Reese and husband Daniel Miller of San Francisco; son Leonard Downs Reese IV and wife Tingting Lu, and their son, Kaius Lu Reese, of global residence; sisters Virginia Reese Malobicky and husband Rudy of Pittsburgh, PA, Sally Reese Hecht and husband Sid of Phoenix, AZ, and Barbara Reese Kiser and husband Roy of Plainview, TX; brother George Edward Reese of Houston, TX; multifold nephews, nieces, great-nephews, and great-nieces; plus an extraordinary amount of close friends and even greater number of cherished students. At the age of 20, Leonard enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. A Corporal, he served as an infantry machine gunner with 2nd Platoon Charlie Co, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division in 1969-1970 during the Vietnam war. Later in life, Leonard would go on to detail his experience of conflict and its lasting effect on his life in his memoir, “The Nam Within.” Leonard received his Masters of Education from SFA in 1975. He worked at Tatum Independent School District for 36 years, impacting the community as a teacher, counselor, academic coach, and school bus driver (once when picking up schoolchildren following a heavy storm, a broken power line fell on top of his school bus electrifying the vehicle; Leonard kept all the youngsters calm and still in the insulated school bus to avoid electrocution until first responders arrived). Over the decades, “Mr. Reese” touched the lives of generations of students in Tatum, grounding the community as a dependable mentor and role model. Throughout his life, Leonard always made sure to demonstrate his affection to his family members, making sure they felt cared for. He lived his life thoughtfully, with kindness, and with a deep consideration of others. He raised his children with love and respect, and doted on his grandson with tenderness. More than anything else in life, he loved his wife, Cindy, as was so clearly written in his every look at her. Funeral services with Military Honors will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 3, 2022, at Tatum United Methodist Church with Pastor Everigester Adams, Jr., Rev. Jamie Brown, and Rev. Dwain Smith officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be Pat Browning, Doug Kayem, Dr. Doug McMillan, Pat Parks, Terry Stanton, Steven Woodfin, the Marines from 2nd Platoon Charlie Co in ‘69-70, and the Rum Runners from Memorial High School. The family would like to specially thank Dr. Rick Earnest, Dr. Pam Fisher, and Paula Bradley for the care they provided to Leonard. Memorials may be sent to: The Tatum Education Foundation, The Tatum United Methodist Church, The Tatum Cemetery Association, or to a charity of your choice. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.crawfordacrim.com.

Mr. Leonard Downs Reese III

August 31, 1948 - August 23, 2022