Wade Reece

“There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.”  Aldo Leopold

Canton – Wade Reece, 70, of the Bethel Community, was one who could not.  He suddenly entered the gates of Heaven on October 11, 2021 doing what he loved:  training his bear dogs in the mountains of Western North Carolina.  He was an adventurous man of many hobbies; he loved his dogs, bear hunting, horses, cattle farming, and he never met a stranger. Most importantly, he was a loving husband, daddy, papaw, and brother.

A native and lifelong resident of Haywood County, Wade was born August 24, 1951 to the late Louie Reece and Frankie Woody Ledbetter.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by paternal grandparents, Howard and Mollie Chambers Reece and maternal grandparents, Carl and Lou Ellen White Woody.

Wade was a 1969 graduate of Pisgah High School and he just retired in June of 2020 from the Canton Paper Mill with 48 years of service.

He is survived by his loving wife of 20 years, Vickie Ray Reece; two daughters, Penny Brown (Jason) and April Long (Tommy); six grandchildren, Paxton Kilby (Sadie), Spencer Kilby (Rachael), Chandler Kilby, Kelsi Pinkston (Kane), Eli Long, and Zeke Long (Kendall Myers – Fiance); three great-grandsons, Jamison, Kobe, and Roan Kilby; one sister, Gail Guy (Randy); one nephew, Zac Guy (Haley); one niece, Aggie Guy; a special aunt, Sarah “Sis” Mease; several great nieces and nephews; and his beloved dog, Gracie.

Funeral services will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 17, 2021 at Riverside Baptist Church with the Reverend Steve Frazier officiating.  Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 1:30 until 4:00 p.m. prior to the service at the church.  Grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Riverside Cemetery Fund, 2171 Lake Logan Road, Waynesville, NC  28786.

The care of Mr. Reece has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Homes of Canton and an online memorial register is available at “Obituaries” at www.wellsfuneralhome.com