Gustave Reeves

Gustave Reeves, 90, formerly of Benton Harbor, passed away Sunday May 7, 2006 at Caretel Inns of Royalton where he resided. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Thursday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph with Rev. Robert Confer officiating. Burial will follow at North Shore Memory Gardens, Coloma. Friends may call from 6-8 P.M. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to First Church of God, St. Joseph or Harmony Foundation, Inc. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mr. Reeves was born October 12, 1915 in Neche, North Dakota to Ferdinand & Christine (Burkhardt) Reeves. On September 30, 1939, he married the former Dorothy Brown in St. Joseph. Gus was employed by Teledyne-Peer Inc. in Benton Harbor for twenty five plus years, retiring in 1981. Gus was a member of the First Church of God in St. Joseph and for fifty plus years was a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society, formerly known as S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A., Inc. He was instrumental in the construction of the hall on Union St. in Benton Harbor and served as secretary for many years. The fourteenth annual Harmony Festival in 1962 was dedicated to him as a tribute to his service. Gus is survived by his sister Jean Ruf of St. Joseph; a daughter-in-law Eloise Reeves of Watervliet; four grandchildren-Tonya (Mark) Peppel, Tamara (Jeremy) Barber, Timothy Reeves, Thomas Reeves; six great-grandchildren, and many nieces & nephews including special nephew James Schauer of St. Joseph. He was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy, his son Larry W. Reeves; his daughter Marla D. Leonard; his parents, and nine brothers & sisters-Julius Reeves, Olga Kramer, Mildred Schauer, Lydia Menchinger, Tillie Holt, Marta Reeves, Rose Hayden, Helen Tanczyn & William Reeves, Sr.