Myrtle L. (Bean) Reese, 96, of East Hartford, passed away peacefully at Hartford Hospital on June 16, 2018. She was the beloved wife of the late John Reese. Myrtle, aka “Myrtle the Turtle”, was born 12-2-21, daughter of the late Joseph and Lucena (Clark) Bean.
Myrtle was one of the first women WAVES in the United States Navy during World War II, setting an example for women in the military. She met (and for a brief time outranked) her husband John while in the Navy. They were married for over 46 years.
Myrtle was a loving, sweet, caring and wonderful woman. She loved to talk to everyone, she had a sharp mind and great sense of humor. She loved to travel; for 32 years with her husband while he served in the Navy, and after his retirement, traveling the country in an RV, which at the age of 70, learned how to drive the RV and continued to do until she turned 90.
She will be dearly missed by her 4 children; daughter Elizabeth Roberts and her late husband Lewis of East Hartford, son John W. Reese and his wife Cindy of Jacksonville, FL., daughters Charlotte Mayo and her husband Scott of St. Augustine, FL., and Karen Peterson and her husband Larry of Manchester, and many grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to St. Jude Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN., 38105, www.stjude.org, or Foodshare, 450 Woodland Ave., Bloomfield, CT 06002, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Calling hours will be on Sunday, June 24, 2018, from 2-4pm at the Benjamin J. Callahan/Newkirk & Whitney Funeral Home, 318 Burnside Ave., East Hartford, CT. 06108. A celebration of her life will follow immediately at 4pm at the funeral home with Military Honors. Burial is private and at the convenience of the family. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.callahanfuneral.com
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18