Tommy Reece

John D. (Tommy) Reece

Kernersville

September 2, 2019, saw the passing of John D. (Tommy) Reece of Kernersville.  Tommy was born June 30, 1930, in Davidson County to Clinton and Mina Goff Reece.  In 1952 he married Phyllis Moore, who proceeded him in death on December 1, 2003.

Tommy was a true child of the depression telling stories of walking many, many miles just to see a car on the highway.    As children, when he and his sister, Mary Jane, were given their very first ice cream cone, they ate the ice cream but ran all the way home to "plant" the cone.  Having grown up on a farm where all of the food they had was grown, they thought this was the way to ensure more ice cream cones.   They were gravely disappointed a few days later.

Tommy and Phyllis shared a wonderful family to cherish his memory; daughter Janet Marshall and husband Ron of High Point, sons:  Ricky Reece of Big Island, VA, Tim  Reece & wife Rachel of Kernersville and Johnny Reece of the home.  Six grandchildren, Dana Cossick & husband Todd, Shannon Ingram & husband Nick, Matt Reece & wife Mitzi, Payton Reece & fiancé Aaron Bridges, Zack Reece, Dakota Hiatt & wife Andrea.  One great-grandchild, and namesake, Reece Lynn Cossick.   Niece Beverly Knight who could always get him out of the house once a week to go look at antiques and seek out a place for lunch and several other nieces and nephews.

For the last sixteen years of his life, Tommy had been "keeping company"  with his high school sweetheart, Sarah Childress of Brown Summit, reconnecting after they both were widowed. Together they shared a love of eating (Sarah being an excellent cook), watching old westerns and animals.  Sarah's family adopted him as their very own and they became his second family. 

Tommy is preceded in death by two sisters;  Minnie Lee Gough (infant) & Mary Jane,   Four brothers; J.D., Montgomery, Marvin and Clyde.

Tommy was an upholster by trade having worked for some of the premiere furniture companies in High Point including Crestwood, Clyde Pearson, and Rose Furniture.  Tommy also taught upholstery at GTCC for almost twenty years. In his later years, he was self-employed and continued to produce lovely pieces of furniture.  When the larger pieces were too heavy he began working on cornice boards, window treatments and pillows.

There will be a graveside service at Abbotts Creek Baptist Church for the family.              

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to Hospice of the Piedmont, 1801 Westchester Drive, High Point, NC  27262.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.wrightfs.com.

Wright Funerals-Cremations is in charge of arrangements.