Nancy Reaves

Nancy Owen Reaves, a longtime resident of Germantown, TN, devoted wife and loving mother, friend, homemaker and Christ-follower, died peacefully Wednesday morning, September 5, 2018, in Little Rock following a brief illness.

Born on January 14, 1931, in New Albany, Mississippi, Nancy lived in cities all across the country, finally landing in Memphis in her early teens. There she met a handsome service man fresh home from the war dressed in a stunning Army Air Corp uniform. They were married within the year when she was only fifteen, he, 20. When Sam died in July of 2016, they had been married nearly 70 years.

She is survived by her brother, Jimmy Owen of Benson, Arizona, and four daughters, Martha Lee (Marcie) Moore, Linda Slaton, Sammie Kaye Morris, and Mary Ruddle; nine grandchildren, Nancy Pearson, Walter (Watty) Moore, Hunter Reaves Slaton, Jacob Reaves Slaton, Samuel Reaves Slaton, Carrie Reaves Slaton, Autumn Schultz, Evelyn Grace Arellano, and Stephen Mills; and eight great-grandchildren, Joseph (Joey) Pearson, Emma Slaton, Winn Slaton, Rosemary (Rosie) Slaton, Penelope Schultz, Eli Schultz, Levin Aialik Slaton, and Levin David Slaton.

She was predeceased by her husband, Sam Noel Reaves, sister, Betty Jo Hamilton, and brothers, John and Billy Owen. Nancy also leaves behind many beloved extended family members and countless friends.

A Service Celebrating her life will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, September 8, at Collierville Funeral Home with visitation and a catered reception beginning at noon for all family and friends.

Nancy will be interred next to Sam in West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery next week.

Honorary pallbearers will be Walter Moore, Hunter, Jacob and Samuel Slaton, Joey Pearson and Cameron Ruddle.

The family requests that memorials be directed to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or Embracing Purpose Ministry (embracingpurpose.org/give-now), P.O. Box 22914, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72211.