CHARLES F REESE

Charles F. “Chuck"Reese, 80 of Devils Lake, formerly of East Grand Forks, MN passed away on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at Altru Hospital, Grand Forks, ND. Funeral Services for Charles will be held on Sunday, November 16, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake, ND with Very Reverend C.F. Wilhelm officiating. Burial will be at a later date in the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, ND. Military Honors will be accorded by the Neathery-Simensen Post #756, Devils Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars and the North Dakota Military Funeral Honors Team. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until time of service. Charles Fredrick, son of William and Mary (Foster) Reese was born on September 17, 1934 at Badger, MN. At the age of 5, the family moved to Thief River Falls, MN where Chuck attended St. Bernard’s School. On January 10, 1952 Chuck enlisted in the United States Navy. He served aboard several ships during the Korean Conflict and was honorably discharged on August 24, 1955 and then returned to Thief River Falls. He married Diane LaCoe and they were the proud parents of Annette, Craig and Douglas. While in Minnesota, Chuck worked for a local contractor doing electrical and welding jobs. He was a “jack of all trades” and was very capable of performing the many tasks required in construction. Chuck was united in marriage to Donna Nelson on March 8, 1968 at Anchorage, AK. They were blessed with two children Cheryl and Kathryn. They made their home in Anchorage and he worked for Smythe Van Lines Moving Company for several years. He also put his welding skills to use on the pipeline. In 1972, the family moved back to Minnesota and he drove truck for his brother at A&B Trucking. He also owned and operated in partnership with his brother a welding shop. In 1980 a move to East Grand Forks brought Chuck to work for Cliff Hagen Inc. as a farm laborer again putting his jack of all trades abilities to work. In 2000, Chuck retired and moved to Devils Lake and made it home through the years. He was a member of the East Grand Forks American Legion and the TEAMSTERS Union. Chuck always had an inventive spirit and ability to create most anything he put his mind to. He built stock cars, go-carts, remote control airplanes and had also come to enjoy woodworking as a hobby. He loved to hunt and what better place than in Alaska and Minnesota. Chuck is survived by his wife, Donna; children Annette (Evan Miller) Hillebrand, Cando, Craig Reese, Devils Lake, Cheryl (Scott) Engh, Bismarck, Kathryn Kramer, Lengby, MN; seventeen grandchildren; thirteen great grandchildren; step children Alan Frislie, Roberts, ID and Debra (Gene) Biever, Anchorage AK; brothers James Reese, Wasilla, AK and Matthew (Cheryl) Reese, Mentor, MN; several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; sons Douglas Reese and Robert Frislie; brothers Bernard, Ambrose and Ronald Reese and sister Rose Needham.