Alfred Thomas Reece Jr.'s Obituary
Reece, Jr., Alfred, Thomas, age 78, of Dallas, TX passed away peacefully after a brave and brief battle with pancreatic cancer on April 14, 2011 at Dallas, TX. He was born on 12-22-1932 in Gate, OK to his parents, Alfred Reece and Maurine Steele. He was the oldest of four siblings. He attended Oklahoma University and graduated in 1956 with a degree in Business Adm. He managed Bankers Investment Company in Farmington, NM for several years until accepting a vice-president position heading the installment loan department of Fidelity Bank in Oklahoma City. He and a partner purchased the Peterbilt Truck franchise in Dallas, Lone Star Peterbilt, in 1972 moving them to Texas. Al sold his part of Lone Star Peterbilt in 1973 and purchased the Jaguar, MG, Renault and Peugeot franchises from Snuffy Smith Motors in 1974 incorporating as Reece Import Autos, Inc. He moved the dealership from downtown Dallas to Richardson in 1979, and added American Motors and Jeep franchises to the dealership adding a dba Al Reece AMC/Jeep. He retired when selling the dealership in 1986, and he and his wife, Mary Beth, enjoyed several years of travel including many cruises. His first marriage was to Elma Jean Floyd of Oklahoma, and they had three sons. He married Mary Beth Thronesbery Hill of Oklahoma on March 1, 1971, and with her son and daughter, had a blended family of five children whom they each loved. At one time, all five of the children worked at the dealership. Al enjoyed his family and friends and golf, football, crosswords, reading, traveling and animals. He was always kind to the feral cats feeding and sheltering as many as eleven along with having them neutered. He was a member of Schreiber Memorial United Methodist Church of Dallas. Al will be cherished in memory by his loving wife of forty years Mary Beth Reece, and their children, Mike, Gary and Steve Reece, Mickey Hill and Randa Gonzales. He is also survived by ten grandchildren – Bracken Reece, Brandi Parker, Kendra Kokendoffer, Michael Dylan Reece, Ashley Montgomery, Amanda DuLong, Megan Webers, Hilary Bridges, Michael Gonzales and Matthew Gonzales as well as twelve great-grandchildren. Also by three sisters,Gloria Redemer, Ramona Alston and Cheryl Myers, cousins Jean, Lynn and Jerry Johnston along with many neices, nephews and other family. He is predeceased by his parents, Alfred and Maurine Steele, his son, Mike and grandson, Benji. Relatives and friends are invited to a visitation for Al 1:30-2:30 p.m. at Schreiber Memorial United Methodist Church, 4525 Rickover Drive,Dallas, TX 75244. Funeral services will follow at the church at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Schreiber Memorial United Methodist Church will be greatly appreciated.
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