ERIC RAY REEVES

In loving memory of a life taken too soon
June 22, 1981-June 5, 2005

 Eric was the third child born to Gary & Ann Reeves. He was happily welcomed into our family by his parents and two sisters, Tracy and Marcy. Tracy was 4 years old and Marcy 2, and they took Eric as "their" baby. He never wanted for anything as the girls were always there to cater to his every need. We had to tell them to let him ask for things or he wouldn't learn to talk. After the girls started school, Eric became his Dad's fishing buddy and they spent many happy days sitting on the banks of creeks. Eric loved fishing and spent time fishing with his friends and his nephew, Tyler in his last years. He also loved sports and in fourth and fifth grades was a super soccer player. Junior High was football, and he excelled at running back and safety.Eric was built small and was always trying to "put on a few pounds" but he wasn't afraid of anything. Mr. "No Fear."
Eric was friendly and fun and had plenty of friends. He and his sisters hung out together, and the friend of one was a friend of all. They lost two of their best friends in a very short time. JaJa died September 21, 2003 and Darren was killed February 21, 2004. Darren had been Eric's best friend for many years and the loss of his "Bro" was very tramatic. Eric was still trying to recover from that loss .
After finishing high school, Eric went to work at Casey's General Store, and people loved him there. He always had time to come out and say "what's up?"Eric was friendly and out going, and many people stopped in just to talk with him.Even when he wasn't working, you could find Eric at Casey's many times.In March, 2005, Eric decided it was time to make more money, and reluctantly gave up his old job for a job in the oil patch.It wasn't strange to him. Gary was in the oil patch and when Eric was younger, he'd go "help" Dad on slow nights.He was a little scared and nervous at first, but soon Mr. No Fear was a roughneck, and a good one. He was so proud of his checks, he had to show them off before he would cash them.He was making plans to buy nice things and fix up his pad.
Eric always loved dogs, and when he got his own house, he got "Billy", a pit bull. Billy was very protective of Eric, and often laid on his feet. Billy loved Eric, and would often break his chain to go sit at Casey's while Eric worked. Sometimes he even drug the dog house along.
Eric called friends on the night of June 4, 2005. He had broken up with his girlfriend and he wanted company. It was late and his friends were at a party at the dam. One friend was getting off work soon and would pick him up. So Eric went to the party that night. He argued with someone at the party, and walked off around 2 am.. Friends looked for him, but thought he must have gotten a ride when he got to the highway. After calling him the next morning and getting no answer, they called Marcy , Eric's sister to see if she had heard from him.Eric called Marcy every day, and when he didn't call , they knew something wasn't right.So the search began and soon authorities were called to assist. Sheriff's officers, Highway Patrol, State Troopers , even a helicopter searched , but darkness fell and Eric was not to be found. We prayed he had only went with someone, but , in our hearts , we knew because Eric would have called.The next morning, after two more hours of searching, two friends on four wheelers found our dear Eric, lying in the tall grass in the ditch. Eric wasn't coming home. Our Eric was with his "Bro" in Heaven.We wouldn't hear "What's up?' or "hang loose"or "I love You" from him ever again. What a hurt! What a great loss! What had happened?
Authorities found evidence that Eric had been hit from behind by a 1995 or newer Peterbilt semi.The accident was never reported and THE DRIVER HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND! Family and friends have placed posters in truck stops in all the surrounding areas, and Angel moms from this site have posted flyers in their area. We did a crimestoppers video in March, 2006. But WE CANNOT FIND ANSWERS!Our son , brother, grandson, uncle, nephew, friend was taken 2 weeks before his 24th birthday. Our lives will never be the same.Our family will never be complete. Now we can only place this tragedy in God's hands and place our trust in Him.Someday we will see our dear Eric again and laugh with him and get one of his super hugs. Until that day, he will live always in our precoius memories
and in our hearts.

 
Always loving and missing you Eric.
You will always be in my heart!
RIP Baby Brother!
Marcy

God didn't promise days without pain

Laughter without sorrow,

Sun without rain,

But HE did promise

Strength for the day

Comfort for the tears and

Light for the way.

Every memory I have of you, Eric, is a treasure!
Your absence is killing me!
Marcy

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself 
Each day has enough trouble of its own." 
Matthew 6:34. 

What My Child Has Taught Me
I've learned that you can keep going long after you think you can't.
I've learned that learning to forgive takes a lot of practice.
I've learned that friends can become strangers, 
and strangers can become friends.
I've learned that ignorance isn't an excuse for the lack of compassion.
I've learned that some people will never, ever  - "get it."
I've learned that the community of sorrow is the strongest of all.
I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken,
 the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of minutes.
I've learned that the people you care most about in life 
are taken from you too soon.
I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. 
It may be the last time you see them.
I've learned that love isn't measured by the amount of time you have with someone.
I've learned that some sorrow is so deep that it has no words.
But so is love.

This Child of Mine
"I'll lend you for a little time a child of mine," He said,
"For you to love the while he lives, and mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven years or twenty-two or three,
But will you, till I call him back, take care of him for Me?
he'll bring his smiles to gladden you, and should his stay be brief,
You'll have his lovely memories as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay, since all from earth return.
But there are lessons taught down there I want this child to learn.
I've looked this wide world over in my search for teachers true,
And from the throngs that crown life's lanes, I have selected you.
Now will you give him all your love, nor count the labor vain,
Nor hate Me when I come to call to take him back again?"
I fancied that I heard them say, "Dear Lord, Thy will be done,
For all the joy Thy child shall bring, the risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter him with tenderness. We'll love him while we may.
And for the happiness we've known, forever grateful stay.
But should the angels call for him much sooner than we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand