Pershing G. Reese
Marriages
Wauneta Huffman - March 28, 1943
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 5B - February 28, 2013
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 5B Death Notice - February 26, 2013
Pershing G. Reese, 94,
Grand Junction, died Feb. 21,
2013, at his home.
Services are at 10:30 a.m. Saturday
at American Lutheran
Church.
He was an assistant manager
at a furniture business.
Survivors include one son,
Carter of Grand Junction; one
daughter, Paula McCarville
of Omaha, Neb.; two sisters,
Elaine Stumpff of Kearney,
Neb., and Betty Schweiger of
Grand Island, Neb.; five grandchildren;
and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions to
American Lutheran Church,
631 26 1/2 Road, Grand Junction
81506.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 6B - February 27, 2013
Pershing G. Reese of Grand
Junction, Colorado passed away
on February 21, 2013, at the age
of 94.
A memorial service will be held
at the American Lutheran Church
on North 7th Street at 26 1/2
Road in Grand Junction at 10:30
a.m. on Saturday, March 2nd.
Pershing was born to William
and Irma Reese in Grand Island, Nebraska on "Armistice Day" the
day World War I ended. He always said, " they couldn't name me
Tom, Dick or Harry … it had to be after General John J. Pershing,
the "Hero of the Hour".
After graduating from high school, he worked in the advertising
department of Grand Island's Daily Independent Newspaper until
World War II broke out and he enlisted in the Army Air Corps.
In March of 1943, his fiancée, Wauneta Huffman joined him in
California where he was taking his Air Corps training. They were
married in Ventura, CA on March 28, 1943. Their 60th wedding anniversary
was in 2003, just prior to Nita's death.
He flew 30 combat missions over France and Germany as a lead
radio operator and gunner on a B-17 and received the Air Medal
with five Bronze Clusters and several other awards for his service.
At the end of the war, they moved to Grand Junction where he lived
until his death.
Pershing worked briefly for the C.C. Anderson Department Store
and then moved on to become Assistant Manager of Bannister Furniture
Company, a job he held until his retirement in 1983. In retirement,
he served as a Mesa County and District Court Bailiff for
seven years.
Pershing and Nita were very active as charter members of the
American Lutheran Church. He held the longest standing membership
in American Legion Post 37 and served as their Commander in
1949. He was also very active in 40 & 8 and The Elks Club.
He and his wife loved to travel including many trips to Hawaii, Europe
and various cruises to multiple destinations. They never missed
President Ford's Celebrity Golf Tournament held in Vail, CO for
many years. Persh was an avid golfer who played two or three times
a week until his old legs gave out. He continued to ride along with
friends and relatives offering advice when needed.
Survivors include his daughter, Paula (Michael) McCarville of
Omaha, NE, and son, Carter (Lynn) Reese of Grand Junction; sisters,
Elaine Stumpff of Kearney, NE, and Betty (Earl) Schweiger of
Grand Island, NE; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren
and numerous relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his
wife, Nita, and daughter, Dianne.
Memorials may be made to the American Lutheran Church in
Grand Junction.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 6 B Obituary - March 1, 2013
