Obituary
Ruth Ann Olson Reeves (Ruthie) (89) went home to be with Jesus, Friday, February 2, 2024. Dr. Sim Reeves, Jr., her husband of 71 years, was continually by her side. Ruthie was born in McPherson, Kansas, on July 23, 1934. She is the youngest child of Nellie and Sophus Olson’s 6 children. Ruthie and Sim met in Fort Stockton, Texas, retired to Corpus Christi, Texas, and recently resided in Orange Park, Florida.
Ruth Ann Olson Reeves was devoted to her Lord Jesus Christ and her family. ‘Ruthie’ was a remarkable woman of prayer, dedicated wife, devoted daughter, loving mother and precious grandmother. She adored ‘sweet ole Sim’.
Ruthie spent her high school years in Fort Stockton, Texas where Ruthie and Sim met. The high school sweethearts married and had four children. While managing the family farm in West Texas, Sim and Ruthie raised their children, Vicki, Trey and Roger, and surrounded by the Reeves and Olson families. They moved to College Station, Texas where Sim earned his doctorate degree at Texas A&M University. Ruthie energetically immersed herself in the theater department where she worked. She assisted Sim with his degree dissertation by typing hundreds of pages of rewrites on an IBM typewriter. She radiated creativity as a writer, poet, scrabble pro, artist and actress. Ruthie authored a weekly column in the Overton paper called ‘Is It Thursday Already?’ that kept East Texas entertained. She was even in a movie, almost. That’s a story for another day. In fact, everyone has their ‘Ruthie Story’. In the “4th of July Grad School Story”, Ruthie revealed that baby Ross was on the way. With degree in hand, Dr. Sim and Ruthie began a new career with Vicki in college, Trey in high school, Roger in middle school and baby Ross. Every place they lived; Weslaco, Overton and Tyler, Texas, Ruthie and Sim made lifelong friends with more hilarious stories to recall. They retired to Corpus Christi, Texas where they lived for 25 years. They served their community in local and civic groups and were active in the First Baptist Church Sunday School and Prayer team. No surprise that Ruthie and Sim were crowned the 4th of July Island King and Queen. Recently they moved to Florida to be near family.
Ruthie was vivacious, generous, hilarious, kind, glamorous, passionate, flamboyant, unpredictable, and wise. In fact, she was a genius. And she would tell you her IQ score. Outspoken and courageous, Ruthie always stood up for the underdog. She was instrumental in getting Texas legislation passed to protect children. Another ‘Ruthie Story’. She was ever the prankster, and even now it is expected that Ruthie is trying to reshape Heaven to be a little more like Texas.
Ruthie is survived by her husband, ‘Sweet Ole Sim’ Dr. Sim A. Reeves, Jr., daughter, Vicki Reeves (Florida); son, Sim A. (Trey) Reeves, III and his wife, Nancy Reeves (Florida); son, Ross Reeves and his wife, Karen Reeves (Longview, Texas); son, Roger Reeves (in Heaven) and his wife, Janie Reeves (Longview, Texas). Ruthie and Sim have 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests you leave several of your favorite stories with your time with Ruthie and Sim on the memorial website. If you wish to send cards, please send to:
Ruth Reeves
c/o Trey Reeves
3169 Condrey Ct
The Villages, FL 32163
A fun group over the years, with Sim & Ruthie being an intregal part.
Ruthie @ the Club
St Paddy's Day party.
Party @ Padre Isles Country club.
Ruthie with her sister Carol in North Carolina
Ruthie with her sister Lois, 1980
Ruthie with her prized sunflower in her backyard in Corpus Christi
Ruthie and Sim in Corpus Christi restaurant
Ruthie in North Carolina for Christmas
Ruthie and Sim in Corpus Christi
Ruthie and Sim in the Corpus Christi paper after winning 'Mr and Mrs Fourth of July'
Ruthie in her Corpus Christi home