Funeral services for Lt. Col. Pat Layne Reese, 77, of Beaumont, were held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, at the Masonic Cemetery in Caldwell.
A viewing was held from 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, at the Strickland Funeral Home.
Lt. Col. Reese died peacefully on December 17, 2020, at Brooke Army Medical Center with his family present.
Pat Reese was born on May 28, 1943, in Beaumont to Carl and Jessie Reese.
Pat was a decorated veteran who served in the Vietnam War and proudly flew during Operation Linebacker, and spent another 25 years in active duty with the U.S. Air Force.
Never a dedicated student, but gifted with the ability to memorize almost everything he heard, he received his undergraduate degree from Lamar State College in 1965.
Also, in 1965, he married the love of his life, Sharon Reese. They would remain married for nearly 50 years, until her death in 2015.
In 1966, he joined the U.S. Air Force.
Fully embracing the lifestyle of a pilot, Pat’s early life was spent collecting Corvettes and Harley Davidsons and traveling the world.
He spent extensive time in Thailand and finished the last decade of his career in Hawaii, as a commander with Pacific Air Command.
After retiring from the military, Pat started an education company, Afterburners Papercraft.
Through his work with various Texas school systems, Pat taught thousands of children about the principles of flight and physics, utilizing the knowledge and skills he had learned in flight school.
When he wasn’t working, Pat was fascinated by computers and spent much of his time learning and mastering new technology.
He was a voracious reader, who eschewed television in favor of books, typically reading one to two each week.
He was a true animal lover, and kept several dogs and cats as pets until late in life.
He was preceded in death by his father, Carl Reese; his mother, Jessie Reese; and his wife, Sharon Reese.
Pat is survived by his son, Layne Reese; his daughter-in-law, Junella Reese; his brother, Michael Reese; and his sister, Carleen Reese.
Arrangements by Strickland Funeral Home in Caldwell. They invite you to visit their website at www.stricklandfuneralhomes.com and sign the online register book.