A Wilson Family Tree
Notes for William Thomas Reeves
From the SpenReeve family tree site:
From the Kirksville Daily Express: Dr. William Thomas Reeves, 72, of Route 2, Brashear, was pronounced dead at the scene after he was struck by lighting while driving a farm tractor yesterday afternoon. Dr. Reeves, his wife and her grandson, had been repairing fences on the farm, and were returning home as it started to rain about 3:30 p.m. Mrs. Reeves told authorities that she was trying to shield the 7-year-old boy from the rain and did not notice that anything was wrong until the tractor crossed a small ditch and started up an embankment toward a fence. She said that when she looked up, she noticed that the tractor was running out of control, and that her husband's head had fallen backward. Both Mrs. Reeves and the little boy were knocked from the small lift-like box in which they were riding when the tractor struck the fence. They were almost one-quarter mile from the house and the nearest telephone when the accident happened, according to Sheriff Leon Coy and Mrs. Reeves ran the full distance to summon help. Coy said that he radioed the police department, asking for aid from the highway patrol on his way to the scene. The fire department was also contacted to send a truck and resuscitation equipment to the scene. Coy said that all the aid arrived within ten minutes, but all were to late to help the doctor. "There is absolutely no debt that it was lighting," Coy said, explaining the Dr. Reeves' hair was singed and his forehead marked where a lightning bolt had struck him. Coy explained also the the rain and mud were probably responsible for the lightning striking so thoroughly insulated an object as a tractor. "It was raining hard and the tractor tires were quite muddy at that time." Coy pointed out, "and it is possible that his shoe or foot could have been touching the muddy tire when the bolt struck." Mrs. Reeves said that she had "noticed the terribly bright flash" but that it never occurred to her that it had struck anything so close as the tractor ahead of her. Coy said that the doctor was apparently killed instantly. The body is at the Funeral Home of Davis & Davis. Funeral arrangements will be announced later. The son of Charles and Kitty an (Ewing) Reeves, he was born Jan. 31, 1896, at Centralia. On Nov 6, 1961 in Miami, Okla., he married Nellie Nelson who survives. Also surviving are two sons, Dr. G. A. Reeves of Corpus Christi, Tex., and Dr. William N. Reeves of Boulder, Colo.; five step-children, Raymond Lee Phipps of the home, Mrs. Stanley Jennings of Kansas City, Mrs. Richard Potuclk and Mrs. George Davis, both of Moberly, and Lester Phipps of Lake Charles, La.; three sisters, Mrs. Frank Sarlis of Fayette, Mrs. Frank Long of Calgary, Canada, and Georgia Muzzy of Portland, Ore.; five brothers, Woodrow Reeves and E.A. Reeves, both of Centralia, Owen Reeves of Hurdland, Otha Reeves of Torance, Calif., and Ben Reeves of Hartley, Ia., and 17 grandchildren. Dr. Reeves attended public schools in Harrisburg and graduated from Northeast Missouri State College. In 1924 he received his degree from the American School of Osteopathy in Kirksville. Following his graduation he practiced in Kirksville and served as public school doctor from 1926 until 1949 when he moved to Kansas City. In 1964 he retired and returned to his farm east of Kirksville on Rt. 2, Brashear. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Kirksville and a former member of the Masonic lodge.
Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above. ...Mike Wilson
Page generated on 14 September 2024