Donna Lee Reese

Things you might want to know about me for my Eulogy:

I was born May 10, 1932 to parents Mina and Roy Christner in Strasburg, Colorado, where I grew up. I had a sister Lucile Eva George, brothers, Gilbert Leroy Christner, Richard Robert Christner & Neil Wesley Christner. We had a sister, Muriel Edna, who died at one month old September 7, 1918. Neil and I grew up together, we were the youngest of all. When I was a little girl they used to have me sing for wedding and baby showers, then in high school I sang solos at school functions and in church. My mother sent me to the Lamont School of Music in Denver, where I studied under May Arno (a retired opera singer.) I sang in the Strasburg Presbyterian Church choir, the Faith Presbyterian Church choir and was also librarian, and sang in the Kiowa Presbyterian Church choir. Patti Salzman and I sang duets together. I loved singing. I also had a lot of fun & loved playing different roles in our melodramas. I have been president of Kiowa Creek Ladies Aid for many years only because there was only five or six ladies and everyone held their office for years (no one to replace us so we just quit having elections.) I was a member of The Tip O Texas genealogy club, the Fun N Sun Genealogy club and ancestry.com and myheritagegenealogy.com. I worked for Joslin’s Department Store for three and a half years as a buyer in the Aurora store, I was a department manager and key carrier for The Denver Dry Goods Company store in Cherry Creek for almost twenty years till we moved to our small ranch in Kiowa. I worked in the Colorado Farm Bureau office of Elbert County museum for eleven years and retired in 2005. I married my husband Charles Reese Sr., March 5, 1949 and was married for sixty four years in March of 2013. We traveled to The Fun N Sun RV Park in San Benito, Texas in our truck and fifth wheel trailer for six weeks every winter from 1998 to 2012. We also traveled to many places when our kids were young and saw many wonderful things as a family. We loved to arrowhead hunt which we did in the summers before we moved to Kiowa.

We had three wonderful children, Carollyn Jean, Charlene and Charles Edward IV and eight lovely grandchildren, Stetson Troy Tapp, Tiffany Anne Guynn, Gabrielle Lee Perryman, Mandy Ann Taylor, Kenneth Edward Gee, (Keeley Gywnn Gee deceased at five months and nine days old on December 1, 1975), Crystal Cree Lenard, Matthew Brandon Reese, Benjamin George-Nichols and Stephanie Francisco. Fourteen great grandchildren, Logan Lee, Bramalette Gene & Colby Jett Perryman, Dutch Paul Thompson, Marina Anne & Scott Cavin Guynn, Koleman Edward, Shaylee Jeanene Gee & Braydon Dyson, Richard Clark, Rilie Ann Hudler & Laramie Ann Taylor, Taylin Marie Pachack & Kelsy Mina Tapp Wilkerson, Bradley Nichols and Avery Francisco and many nieces and nephews. Including, Nancy & David George-Nichols, Laurel George, Gary George, Bonnie & Jim Wilson, Gilbert & Michael Christner, Dorothy Owens, Linda & Dave Youman, Patty Kent, (Richard Jr, and Mark Christner who are in Heaven) Michael & Denise Christner, Morrie & Lisa Christner and Monty and Viola Christner. Many more grand and great-grand nieces and nephews. Lastly, three great great grandchildren, Tuff Wolf, Rylan Alread Shea Wilkerson, and Blakely Alread.

I loved life but there is a wonderful place I am going and I plan on seeing you all again when we meet in Heaven!!!

A funeral service for Donna will be held Tuesday, September 7, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Elbert County Fairgrounds, 95 Ute Avenue, Kiowa, CO 80117. Following the funeral service will be a committal service from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Mountview Cemetery, 2724 Kiowa - Bennett Road, Bennett, CO 80102.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.OlingerAndrews.com for the Reese family.