Mr. William Donald Reece, 88, died Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, at Piedmont Mountainside Hospital.
He was born May 23, 1933, in Gilmer County to the late Oscar and Ora Evans Reece.
He is preceded in death by 7-year-old sister, Charlotte, and infant brother, Billy.
He was saved at an early age and at the time of his death was the oldest member of Pleasant Valley Bapist Church.
He was a U.S. Army veteran with two years of service in Germany from 1953-1955. He then worked with his father on his farm and in 1962 began driving a school bus for 30 years until his retirement.
One of his greatest pleasures was riding and showing his racking horses. He won hundreds of trophies throughout Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama. One of his greatest accomplishments was being crowned world speed racking champion.
He is survived by wife, Mary Ann Sellers Reece; nephews, Jeremy Sellers, Jared Sellers, Garrett Sellers and Joe Sellers; nieces, Taylor Sellers and Jeanne Sellers Brown; and a host of cousins.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, from Pleasant Valley Baptist Church with the Rev. Chris Chastain, the Rev. Scott Chastain, the Rev. Steve Jones and the Rev. Paul Richards officiating.
Doug Morrow was in charge of music.
Interment was in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers were Jeremy Sellers, Jared Sellers, Garrett Sellers, Joe Sellers, Jerry Evans, Tommy Evans and Charles Wright.
Honorary pallbearers were Mack Aaron, Jimmy Johnson, Samuel Parks, Max Evans, Harold Evans, Troy Evans, Grady Evans, Ronnie Evans, Bill Evans, Mark Chadwick, Gary Evans and Greg Henderson.
Bernhardt Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.