William D. “Buck” Reaves, 78, of Fitzgerald, Georgia, died Thursday, April 18, 2019, at his residence.
Funeral services will be held 4 PM, Saturday, April 20, 2019, at The Paulk Funeral Home Chapel in Fitzgerald, with the Rev. Steve O’Neal officiating. Interment will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery in Fitzgerald. The family will receive friends, Saturday, from 2 PM until 4 PM, at the funeral home.
Mr. Reaves was born November 29, 1940, in Randolph County, Alabama, to the late Thomas Damon & Vera Levens Reaves. Following the death of his mother, he was raised by his step-mother, Eula Spradlin Reaves Smith. He lived in the community most of his life and retired from Fitzgerald Water Light & Bond after 43 years of service as Assistant Superintendent and Electrical Supervisor. He enjoyed fishing, quail hunting and gardening. Mr. Reaves was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Fitzgerald where he cooked with the men’s group and hosted fish frys.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Rhomelle Echols Reaves of Fitzgerald; children: Lisa Reaves Harbuck of Fitzgerald, Lena & Ed Wynn of Fitzgerald and Todd & Suzanne Reaves of Fitzgerald; grandchildren: Leah Harrell & Bryan, Wesley Harbuck & Courtney, Will Reaves, Paige Howell, Jay Reaves and Walt Howell; great-grandchildren: Stella Harrell and one on the way; siblings: Virginia Wright of Ocilla, Gelene Spradlin of Fitzgerald, Betty Spradlin of Fitzgerald, Ray Reaves of Waynesville, Glenda Giddens of Ocilla, Vicky Branam & Jimmy of Brunswick and Gene Reaves of Ocilla. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers: Bud Reaves and Joe Wiggins.