Johnny Benjamin Reeves, Jr.

Johnny Benjamin Reeves Jr., 87, of Granbury, TX, passed away on January 8th with family at his side.

Johnny was born on December 13, 1935 to Johnnie and Katherine Reeves in Rome, Georgia. While still a child his family moved to Arizona where Johnny grew up and attended Coolidge High School where he played on the baseball and basketball teams graduating in 1955.

Johnny was truly a self-made man. Work was his passion. He was universally known as a hard worker and became an accomplished entrepreneur building multiple successful businesses in the pest control industry in California and Arizona. Johnny went on to establish one of the first private schools to teach and certify pest control technicians and operators in the state of California. 

His many interests included pool, golf, boating, and travel but he loved flying. He obtained his private pilot license and purchased his first airplane, a Piper Cherokee, which he eventually sold. It didn’t take long for him to realize he truly missed having a plane so he purchased his second plane, a Cessna 177 “Cardinal” which was his pride and joy. He often shared the story about traveling to Wichita to pick it up at the factory, noting that it was the last Cardinal that Cessna ever made.

Johnny had the heart of an adventurer and was consumed by wanderlust. He was a fan of cruises and he traveled extensively visiting Asia, Europe, Australia, and Central America where he fell in love with Costa Rica, a country he returned to often and where he developed many friendships that endured through the rest of his life

For all his skill in building and running businesses he had an even greater capacity for compassion and generosity. He was never without friends and never met a stranger. People remarked that he was an unforgettable character and had a personality that was larger than life. He could always make you laugh and was there to help whenever someone was in need.

He was intense in all his endeavors whether it be negotiating a business deal, coaching little league or playing cards but he wasn’t as skillful with his kids who could almost always find themselves winning family games.

His closest companion was his dog Buddie.  Buddie found Johnny by wandering into his yard as a lost puppy. Johnny tells the story that he tried to find his owner and then to find someone to take him but, fortunately for both of them, Buddie had a new furever home. Buddie was with Johnny for 15 years and they were inseparable unless Johnny had to go on a trip that Buddie could not attend. Only then would Buddie be allowed to stay at the nicest dog spas available apart from Johnny. They were truly the best of friends. Walking Buddie became physically difficult in their later years so they would go for drives in Buddie’s personal car, a Jaguar, around the neighborhood together where they became a regular sight.

Anyone who knew Johnny knew that he was proud of his family and would quickly list his children's accomplishments when the conversation inevitably turned to them. He supported his children endlessly with his unconditional love.

Johnny was predeceased by his father Johnnie Reeves Sr., his mother Katherine Reeves, his brother Garland Reeves, his sisters Betty Ann Feliz and Gayle Reeves, his grandson Bryan Wilkins, and his dear sweet Buddie. He is survived by his sisters, Sandra, Lynne, and Kathie and by his children Johnny Reeves III (Becky Reyes), Patricia Reeves, Mark Reeves (Catherine), Marci Dorsett (Scott), and Michelle Reeves, and by his grandchildren Justin Reeves, Clinton Reeves, Michael Felix, Daniel Wilkins, Brandon Wilkins, Ariel Scheibenreif, Johann Scheibenreif, Ryan Dorsett, Brad Dorsett, Jenna Tackett (Dorsett), Carson Reeves, Hayden Reeves, and by his great grandchildren, Caidan Curran, Alyssa Pulver, Eliza Pulver, Robert Pulver, Bryan Wilkins, Caleb Wilkins, Izabella Wilkins, Bailey Wilkins, Aiden Wilkins, Eldon Wilkins, Jayme Clements, Bradley Dorsett, Andrew Dorsett, Morgan Dorsett, Ellie Tackett, and Terry Tackett.

Our father loved animals dearly. In that spirit and in acknowledgment of dad’s special companionship with Buddie in lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Southern States Rescued Rottweilers organization. Their website is https://southernstatesrescuedrottweilers.org