James Rook REED

January 29, 1930-July 06, 2014
Please see military marker

Shared stone with Lois Marie
Married September 15, 1951

*Obituary
James Rook Reed (J.R.) was born January 29, 1930 and deceased on July 6, 2014. He was born in Vernon, Texas to James Curtis Reed and Verma Gladys Rook Reed. He spent his childhood in Altus, Oklahoma and Eunice, New Mexico. His father was transferred by Shell Oil Company to Denver City, Texas where Rook graduated from high school in 1948. He attended Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico majoring in music until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1951.

Prior to entering the U.S. Army, he married Lois Marie Harrison, his high school sweetheart, on September 15, 1951. They have celebrated 62 years of marriage. In the Army he joined the U.S. Army band and was sent to Trieste where he spent the next 17 months. After his discharge he returned to E.N.M.U. and received his BA degree in instrumental music. In November 1955, he was hired by the Lovington, New Mexico school system as their band director. He spent the next 32 years teaching band and English in Lovington. He received his Masters degree in English in 1967. After his retirement, he and Lois Marie moved to Trent, Texas where he was band director and English teacher. They then moved to Abilene, TX and he taught band at Clyde, Albany and Abilene Christian High School until his second retirement in 2009.

He was the owner of Custom Recording Service and recorded many Texas and New Mexico High School bands and choruses in the area, including UIL competitions. He was very beloved by his students and he kept up with many of them throughout his life. He was considered by many as their "favorite teacher". As an additional award, the Central Junior High Band Building in Lovington, NM was renamed the Rook Reed Band Building in his honor.

He was a member of the Abilene Community Band where he played trumpet for over 25 years and served as the assistant band director and held numerous board and officer titles. Rook was a long time member of the Church of Christ and currently worshipped at Hamby Church of Christ. He was also a song leader and directed singing at churches at Lovington, Southern Hills and Hamby.

He loved his family which includes his wife Lois Marie and three children: Randall and wife Stacy, Lovington, NM; Derral and wife Nancy, Abilene, TX; and Jenai Freng and husband Jeff, Abilene, TX. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Kaci Reed, McKenzie Ramirez, Braeden Freng and Margo Reed; and two great-grandchildren Kaydence and Kobin; and also several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews.

A memorial visitation will be held at the Hamby Church of Christ Fellowship on Tuesday 7/8/14 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. A memorial service will be at Hamby Church of Christ on Wednesday 7/9/14 beginning at 2:00 pm. Local services are being handled by Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut St. A private burial will be held later in Denver City, Texas. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to: Abilene Christian University, Lois Marie Reed Endowed Physics Scholarship, ACU Box 29132, Abilene, TX 79699 which is a scholarship awarded to students in need of assistance to attend ACU; or Abilene Community Band, 2541 Meadow Lake, Abilene, TX 79606. Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.
source: www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.

Contributed on 3/7/20 by neldapat
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Record #: 278651

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