Otis LeRoy “Roy” Reese, 80, died peacefully in Columbus, Georgia on April 8, 2024. He was born on April 18, 1943 in Montgomery, Alabama to William Daniel Reese and Bessie Emerita Burnham. He attended St. Bernard Preparatory School as a boy and graduated from Columbus High School in 1961. He attended Georgia State University where he majored in Business Administration and was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. During this time he met the love of his life, Sandra Lee Wells. After graduating from Georgia State University in 1965, he continued his education and attained two masters degrees from Georgia State University in Human Resources Management and Business Administration.
He married Sandra in 1967 in Atlanta, and they moved to Columbus where he began working with his uncles at Burnham Van Services. He always had an entrepreneurial drive and worked in management and process improvements across multiple small businesses and industry sectors. He had a big heart for his community and worked at the Columbus Consolidated government for 16 years as Director of Administration and Special Projects until his retirement in 2006. He was an active member of the Rotary Club of Columbus, and he and Sandra were longtime members of St. Anne Catholic Church.
Roy loved spending time outdoors and sharing his love of hiking, fishing, hunting, and camping with his family. He especially loved spending time with his family at their mountain house in Clayton, Georgia. He also took immense pride in being a loving grandfather, “Gaga”, to his ten grandchildren.
Roy leaves a legacy of love with all who knew him. He deeply loved Sandra’s extended family and was cherished by them. His dedication to be the best husband and father he could be was the most important job he felt he ever had. He often said, “One of the best ways a father can love his daughters is by loving their mother.”
A rosary service will be held at Striffler-Hamby (4071 Macon Road, Columbus, Georgia) on Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 5pm followed by a visitation until 7pm. A funeral service will take place at St. Anne’s Catholic Church (2000 Kay Circle, Columbus, Georgia) on Monday, April 15, 2024 at 2pm followed by a graveside service for Sandra and Roy at Parkhill Cemetery.
Roy was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved wife, Sandra, and sister Emerita “Rita” Locker. He is survived by his three daughters, Stacy Reese Milburn (husband Nat Milburn, children Claire and Jack Joyce and Jessica, Danielle and Alex Milburn) of Atlanta, GA, Kimberly Reese Rogers of Suwanee, GA (children Ansley and Reese Rogers), and Jennifer Reese Boyd (husband John Boyd, children Judith, Sarah, and Janie Boyd) of Columbus, GA and his sister, Mary Harrison, of St. Simon’s Island, GA.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Daughters Against Alzheimer’s, Columbus Hospice of Georgia and Alabama, or St. Anne’s Catholic Church.
