Bob Reese
Encyclopedia
Bobby Lynn Reese, known as Bob Reese (April 29, 1929–November 26, 2004), was a home builder, architectural designer, portrait painter, and business
man in Natchitoches
, Louisiana
, who was a co-chairman of the Natchitoches Parish
Republican Party
from 1968–2004, during an era in which Democrats
dominated his region of the state, particularly at the state and local political levels.
, the seat of Bienville Parish
in north Louisiana, to Lester Reese (1910–1977) and the former Martha Beard (1911–1975). He attended Arcadia High School but graduated in 1946 from Simsboro High School
in western Lincoln Parish
. He attended Louisiana Tech University
in Ruston
but did not graduate. He served from 1948-1953 in the United States Air Force
during the time of the Korean War
, but he was not stationed in Korea
. Instead, he was a clerk-typist in Japan
and never even carried a gun.
After his military discharge, Reese in 1954 married the former Gwendolyn Thomas, the daughter of Neil Thomas (1892–1963) and the former Lilla Perry (1898–1995) of Jonesboro
, the seat of Jackson Parish
. Neil Thomas, a boyhood friend of Governor Jimmie Davis
, was the Democratic sheriff
of Jackson Parish from 1928-1948. In 1934, Sheriff Thomas arrived on the scene near Gibsland
some ten minutes after the capture and death of the bandits Bonnie and Clyde
. In the second Davis administration, Thomas served as state parole director. He died on the job of a heart attack
in the front door of the state capitol
in Baton Rouge
. At Davis' request, Mrs. Thomas served the remaining ten months of her husband's term.
. He received only 20.3 percent in the race against the Democratic newcomer and a personal friend, E.L. "Bubba" Henry, also of Jonesboro, later an attorney and lobbyist in Baton Rouge.
Shortly after that legislative campaign, the Reeses moved to Natchitoches, where he continued his home building career through Howard Lumber Company, which also employed his brother-in-law, Johnny B. Kelly (1925–1996) in Minden
, the seat of Webster Parish
in north Louisiana.
He worked for the election of David C. Treen
in the unsuccessful 1972 gubernatorial campaign against the Democrat Edwin Washington Edwards. In that same election on February 1, 1972, Reese was the Republican nominee for an open seat in the Louisiana State Senate
caused by the primary defeat of long-term Democratic incumbent Sylvan Friedman
, but
Reese lost to the Democrat Paul Lee Foshee, Sr.
, a Natchitoches crop duster, who would serve only the one term from 1972-1976. Reese did not again seek office but decided to work within the party structure to advance his political views. He became immediately active in the attempt to revitalize the Republican Party in Natchitoches, the oldest city in the state.
When Treen finally became governor in 1980, he appointed Reese's former opponent, Bubba Henry, an original Edwards supporter, as his commissioner of administration. From 1968-1996, Reese was a member of the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee. From 1968 until his death, he was a member of the Natchitoches Parish Board of Election Supervisors by virtue of his ex officio role as parish party co-chairman. .
Church of Jonesboro and then the First Baptist Church of Natchitoches, where Mrs. Reese retains membership.
Reese died of melanoma
on the day after Thanksgiving Day in 2004. Mrs. Reese (born February 14, 1932) graduated from Jonesboro-Hodge High School
in 1950 and Louisiana Tech in 1954. She has been a dance instructor for more than six decades and operates the Gwen Reese School of Dance in Natchitoches in the building which her husband had designed and constructed. Mrs. Reese’s older sister, Nedra T. Kelly of Minden, is a retired Realtor and a former member of the Webster Parish School Board.
Reese is interred in the Thomas family plot at the Jonesboro Cemetery.
Three years after Reese's death, Republicans Rick Nowlin
and Gerald Long
won both the state House and state Senate seats embracing Reese's adopted city of Natchitoches.
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
man in Natchitoches
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, who was a co-chairman of the Natchitoches Parish
Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Natchitoches Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Natchitoches. As of 2000, the population was 39,080. This is the heart of the Cane River Louisiana Creole community...
Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
from 1968–2004, during an era in which Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
dominated his region of the state, particularly at the state and local political levels.
Early years, education, military
Reese was born in ArcadiaArcadia, Louisiana
Arcadia is a town in and the parish seat of Bienville Parish in north Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,041 at the 2000 census....
, the seat of Bienville Parish
Bienville Parish, Louisiana
Bienville Parish is a parish located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Arcadia and as of the 2000 census, the population is 15,752....
in north Louisiana, to Lester Reese (1910–1977) and the former Martha Beard (1911–1975). He attended Arcadia High School but graduated in 1946 from Simsboro High School
Simsboro High School
-History:Simsboro High School was founded in 1855 by James M. Sims in Simsboro, Louisiana, and is a part of the Lincoln Parish School Board. The school became recognized by the state in 1904 and saw the addition of a junior high wing in 2006. The principal is Mrs. Earlene Jackson.-Student...
in western Lincoln Parish
Lincoln Parish, Louisiana
Lincoln Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Ruston. In 2004, its population was estimated to be 42,382...
. He attended Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
in Ruston
Ruston, Louisiana
Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
but did not graduate. He served from 1948-1953 in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
during the time of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, but he was not stationed in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. Instead, he was a clerk-typist in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and never even carried a gun.
After his military discharge, Reese in 1954 married the former Gwendolyn Thomas, the daughter of Neil Thomas (1892–1963) and the former Lilla Perry (1898–1995) of Jonesboro
Jonesboro, Louisiana
Jonesboro is a town in and the parish seat of Jackson Parish in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 3,914 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, the seat of Jackson Parish
Jackson Parish, Louisiana
Jackson Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish was formed in 1845 from parts of Claiborne, Ouachita, and Union Parishes. In 2010, its population was 16,274. The parish seat is Jonesboro...
. Neil Thomas, a boyhood friend of Governor Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
, was the Democratic sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Jackson Parish from 1928-1948. In 1934, Sheriff Thomas arrived on the scene near Gibsland
Gibsland, Louisiana
Gibsland is a town in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, United States. Conveniently near Interstate 20 and less than an hour from both Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana, Gibsland offers small town living with access to urban amenities...
some ten minutes after the capture and death of the bandits Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow were well-known outlaws, robbers, and criminals who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. Their exploits captured the attention of the American public during the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934...
. In the second Davis administration, Thomas served as state parole director. He died on the job of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in the front door of the state capitol
Louisiana State Capitol
The Louisiana State Capitol building is the capitol building of the state of Louisiana, located in Baton Rouge. The capitol houses the Louisiana State Legislature, the governor's office, and parts of the executive branch...
in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
. At Davis' request, Mrs. Thomas served the remaining ten months of her husband's term.
Political activism
Originally a Democrat, Reese switched parties and served from 1964-1968 as the chairman of the Jackson Parish Republican Executive Committee. In 1964, he headed the victorious Barry M. Goldwater presidential campaign in Jackson Parish. On February 6, 1968, Reese was his party’s nominee for the Jackson Parish seat in the Louisiana House of RepresentativesLouisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
. He received only 20.3 percent in the race against the Democratic newcomer and a personal friend, E.L. "Bubba" Henry, also of Jonesboro, later an attorney and lobbyist in Baton Rouge.
Shortly after that legislative campaign, the Reeses moved to Natchitoches, where he continued his home building career through Howard Lumber Company, which also employed his brother-in-law, Johnny B. Kelly (1925–1996) in Minden
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a city in the American state of Louisiana. It serves as the parish seat of Webster Parish and is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The population, which has been stable since 1960, was 13,027 at the 2000 census...
, the seat of Webster Parish
Webster Parish, Louisiana
Webster Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Minden. In 2010, its population was 41,207....
in north Louisiana.
He worked for the election of David C. Treen
David C. Treen
David Conner "Dave" Treen, Sr. , was an American attorney and politician from Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana – the first Republican Governor of the U.S. state of Louisiana since Reconstruction. He was the first Republican in modern times to have served in the U.S...
in the unsuccessful 1972 gubernatorial campaign against the Democrat Edwin Washington Edwards. In that same election on February 1, 1972, Reese was the Republican nominee for an open seat in the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
caused by the primary defeat of long-term Democratic incumbent Sylvan Friedman
Sylvan Friedman
Sylvan N. Friedman was a Louisiana politician, a rare Jewish member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature...
, but
Reese lost to the Democrat Paul Lee Foshee, Sr.
Paul L. Foshee
Paul Lee Foshee, Sr. , is a retired crop duster from Natchitoches, Louisiana, who served nonconsecutively in both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature during the 1960s and 1970s. From 1960 to 1964, beginning at the age of twenty-seven, Foshee served a single four-year term as a state...
, a Natchitoches crop duster, who would serve only the one term from 1972-1976. Reese did not again seek office but decided to work within the party structure to advance his political views. He became immediately active in the attempt to revitalize the Republican Party in Natchitoches, the oldest city in the state.
When Treen finally became governor in 1980, he appointed Reese's former opponent, Bubba Henry, an original Edwards supporter, as his commissioner of administration. From 1968-1996, Reese was a member of the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee. From 1968 until his death, he was a member of the Natchitoches Parish Board of Election Supervisors by virtue of his ex officio role as parish party co-chairman. .
Later years and death
In his later years, Reese was a portrait painter and a coach at his Bob Reese School of Gymnastics in Natchitoches. He was affiliated with the First BaptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church of Jonesboro and then the First Baptist Church of Natchitoches, where Mrs. Reese retains membership.
Reese died of melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
on the day after Thanksgiving Day in 2004. Mrs. Reese (born February 14, 1932) graduated from Jonesboro-Hodge High School
Jonesboro-Hodge High School
Jonesboro-Hodge High School is a high school located in North Central Louisiana. It is located in Jonesboro in Jackson Parish, Louisiana. The school mascot is the Tiger, named after LSU. The colors are scarlet and royal blue...
in 1950 and Louisiana Tech in 1954. She has been a dance instructor for more than six decades and operates the Gwen Reese School of Dance in Natchitoches in the building which her husband had designed and constructed. Mrs. Reese’s older sister, Nedra T. Kelly of Minden, is a retired Realtor and a former member of the Webster Parish School Board.
Reese is interred in the Thomas family plot at the Jonesboro Cemetery.
Three years after Reese's death, Republicans Rick Nowlin
Rick Nowlin
Rickey L. "Rick" Nowlin is a Natchitoches engineer and businessman who is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 23 ....
and Gerald Long
Gerald Long
Gerald Long , is a rare Republican member of the traditionally Democratic Long political dynasty in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Specifically, he is a third cousin of the late Governors Huey Pierce Long, Jr., and Earl Kemp Long...
won both the state House and state Senate seats embracing Reese's adopted city of Natchitoches.