Richard Jasper Reece

Richard Jasper Reece, a loving husband who appreciated the beauty of nature, music and words, died February 17, 2026 in Santa Rosa, California. He was 77. Rich was born June 26, 1948, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Jasper and Mary Beth Reece. Growing up with his younger siblings, Jim and Beverly, he excelled in academics and loved to read and write. For young Rich, a good day was fishing with his buddies or golf with his dad. He graduated from Edina High School in Edina, Minnesota and St. Thomas College in St. Paul. Rich and [then] wife Charlene happily welcomed two children, Evan Richard and Anne Kathleen. Rich was a devoted dad, and his son and daughter adored him. He loved to read Annie’s poems and observe the habits of the pet cats in their lives. And he was a fan of Evan at his track meets and when he was playing his guitar. Rich turned his penchant for reading and writing into a career. He worked as editor of Catholic Digest in New London, Connecticut, before moving to Raleigh, North Carolina in December 2004, to start a new magazine in the diocese. Never mind his notebook and camera, interviews felt like conversations to his sources because of his easy-going nature. And never mind his red pen on paper, corrections felt like mentorship to his writers. When he wrote columns, Rich was just as likely to explore what he didn’t know as what he knew. He published corrections when the magazine made a mistake and posed questions to his readers. Rich was a fan of baseball — the Braves in the National League, the Angels in the American and, later in his life, the Yankees. He enjoyed classical music, leaving the library with a good book and a Rob Roy cocktail. He and his high school prom date, Bonnie Sue West, reconnected around the time of their 50th class reunion. On a website for the event, he offered her an apology for being the worst prom date. She replied and what followed was their love story. There were emails, a visit from Rich to San Clemente, California where Bonnie was living, other visits and a wedding on November 7, 2015. Rich retired in March 2016. They made homes on the North Carolina coast, in the North Carolina mountains and, finally, in Sonoma County, where they moved in 2025. Over meals together, puzzle solving and jazz on the speakers, she called him sweetheart, and he called himself the luckiest man. Health challenges were a part of their lives, too. Rich was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and COPD in November 2018. But he persevered with Bonnie, who cared for him tirelessly. Rich was predeceased by his parents, his sister Beverly Kathleen Krieg and, sadly, both of his children. He’s survived by his wife, his brother James Reece (Libby Larsen), brother-in-law Thomas Krieg, Charlene Reece, granddaughter Gwyn Jarrett and grandson Jamie Reece. The family will hold a private memorial. Those who wish to remember Rich with a gift are encouraged to consider Best Friends Animal Society, the Nature Conservancy or a charity of their choice.

Richard Jasper Reece

June 26, 1948 - February 17, 2026