Maria A Reeve

Minden, LA Maria Antonietta 'Mary' Reeve Maria Antonietta "Mary" Reeve (nee Melgar), 81, died peacefully Feb. 26, 2015, in Minden Medical Center. Mary is survived by her children, Rosa Monica Harty and her husband, Christopher of Medford Lakes, New Jersey, Max Delano Reeve Jr. and his wife, Joanna of Minden, Debbie Reeve Branch and her husband, Tenney of Minden, John Frank Reeve and his wife, Nancy of Lafayette and Billy Reeve of Minden. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, Jeanne Branch Turley and her husband, Brian, Bo Branch and his wife, Christy, Aaron Harty and his wife, Tara, Lori Reeve, Casie Reeve, Joey Frost and his wife Caryn, Dylan Reeve and Connor Reeve; 11 great-grandchildren, Max Edwards, Hayes Branch, Caylee, Sara and Hannah Frost, Hunter Reeve, John and Brady Culbertson, Justin, Mia and Maddie Harty; siblings, Lucha Herald of San Antonio, Texas and Carmen Staepel of Cherry Hill, New Jersey; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Max Delano Reeve Sr. of Minden, her mother, Yoland Nieri Melgar and her father, Col. J.D. Melgar of Ica, Peru. Mary was born March 26, 1933 in Trujillo, Peru. She was educated in Peru with a degree in Business Administration. She married Max Delano Reeve Sr. in 1955. After moving to Minden in 1968, Mary began working for West Enterprises and became a Century 21 real estate agent. Mary and her husband, Max owned and operated several businesses before Max passed away. She then began a second career as a paralegal and court interpreter. She was a generous and witty individual who never met a stranger and loved a good joke. She was passionate about her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They remember her as a loving mother and grandmother, "GiGi," who encouraged them to pursue their goals. She was an active and dedicated member of First Baptist Church of Minden. A celebration of life service will be at noon Tuesday, March 3, 2015, at First Baptist Church West Chapel in Minden, with burial to follow at Bistineau Cemetery in Heflin. The Rev. Leland Crawford will officiate the ceremony. Visitation will be from 5 until 8 p.m. Monday, March 2 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Mary's life. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary's memory are welcomed at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The family would like to thank Minden Medical Center staff for their care during her extended hospital stay.