Richard H. Reese

Richard Harold Reese, 86, died peacefully in his sleep on March 4, 2025, after a brief illness. He was born in Eaton Rapids, MI, on January 19, 1939, oldest son of Harold and Doris Reese.

After high school, he attended Western Michigan University, ultimately becoming their first mathematics Master’s degree recipient. In this interim, he wed his first wife, Trudie Canedy. They were together for 41 years until her passing in 2002. After teaching at Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, MI, he attended the University of Georgia for his Ph. D. In 1970, with doctorate in hand, he started his 30-year professorship at Edinboro State College, where he created and taught many math courses and was a pioneer in forming the Computer Science program. He retired from Edinboro University in 2000. Edinboro folks of a certain vintage may recall Richard as the bald guy who walked around town while reading a book. After Trudie’s passing, he eventually moved to Erie, PA, and married Barbara Grippe in 2007.

As a sports enthusiast, Richard played basketball and baseball at Eaton Rapids High School and throughout life was an avid fan of his beloved Detroit Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs. He loved listening to music – recorded or live. He attended many festivals and shows throughout his years and was particularly fond of bluegrass. Richard loved exploring the world and traveled extensively throughout North America. Adventures ranged from early hitchhiking forays to Mexico with his buddy John Davidson to countless family road trips, long and short, and would eventually visit Ireland and Paris in his later years. He visited all 50 states and dozens of national parks. Over the course of his life, the Upper Peninsula of MI was an absolute favorite place, where he collected agates. On Gulf shores, he collected shark teeth. Another place he particularly enjoyed frequenting was Austin, TX, where he enjoyed Texas singer-songwriters, barbeque, and margaritas. He also appreciated a good beer, reveling in craft ales as that industry blossomed. His hobbies included constructing scrapbooks on all of the aforementioned topics as well as Calvin and Hobbes, Edinboro sports and professional boxing. Additionally, he was an avid photographer and family videographer. He embraced visual technology throughout his lifetime and was an early adopter of the selfie. As an outlet for his photography, Richard was the creator of Edinboro University’s sports website in a day when very few had the know-how to publish on the web.

Richard was a kind, caring, big-hearted, well-grounded, down-to-earth, good, decent, generous man who had friends in high and low places. He focused most on quality of character. His measure of the stature of a person had little to do with their status in society.

Richard is survived by his two sons, Sam (Donna) and Joe (Mary Wolf), grandson, Aubrey (Nicole), granddaughter, Canedy, great-grandson, Max, and brother, Steve (Beth). Also, Richard is survived by his wife, Barbara, and stepsons, Franklin and Jonathan.

The Reese family wishes to express gratitude to the folks in the Woodlands Unit at Springhill; also, to the medical caregivers in the Hamot ICU, especially Dr. Storer and nurses Tara and Sidney. Thank you for tending to Richard toward and at the end of his life.

Friends may call at the Glunt Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 210 Meadville St., Edinboro, on March 10th from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. A service will follow shortly after 6:00 p.m.

Burial of ashes will be in Edinboro Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please support your preferred cause with a charitable donation. To send condolences, please visit www.gluntfuneralhome.com.