Roland Ewell Reese

Roland Ewell Reese

9/26/1030 - 10/6/2026

Roland “Rolly” Reese, 96, took his trusty tools and went home on October 6, 2026, no doubt setting to work on some heavenly remodeling project or fixing a squeak in the Pearly Gates.Born on his family’s homesteaded farm in Castleford, ID, on Sept. 26, 1930, to Harry and Mary Viola (Nearhoof) Reese, Roland joined his three older siblings, Pauline, Phyllis, and Chris in a childhood that made for some great -- and often harrowing -- stories. The family of six shared a small two-room home with no indoor plumbing, with the two boys often housed in a tent outside until the “big house” was built when Rolly was about 10 years old. Church membership changed with the weather, following the best heating in the winter and cool breezes in the summer.A childhood trip took the family to their ancestral lands of Reese Hollow, PA, when the boys were about 6 and 7. This trip spurred legends of “those wild Idaho boys” that were told to Roland’s daughter upon her visit eighty years later. Evidently the first time seeing a bathtub indoors was in an upstairs room where the boys’ diving antics caused some damage. And the tale of them rolling a tractor tire down a hill to nearly taking out a barn is burned into familial lore.Young Rolly, called “Runt” by his classmates, was scrappy and prone to shenanigans. Weighing around 100 lbs. upon HS graduation, he nonetheless played on the football team’s offensive line (he got pummeled, as he recalled) and was on the HS boxing team. One Halloween found him part of a roving gang of mischief makers, swiping the towns’ outhouses and putting them atop of the high school. Although he never really liked school, he did graduate in 1948 and found his way to the University of Idaho for one year. However, he ended up coming back home to help with the family farm when his dad fell ill.He and Janet Wiggins eloped to Elko, NV in 1951 on Memorial weekend (there were plenty of flowers “borrowed” for the event by the bride’s side, much to Rolly’s dismay). Shortly thereafter he started his long career in appliance repair and furniture sales beginning in Janet’s parent’s store, White’s Home Furnishings, in Buhl, ID. After a brief stint in Ely, NV, Roland and Janet moved to Jerome, ID to start managing the Wilson-Bates store in 1957. Roland devoted much to the store and was known in those early years to sell door-to-door or load furniture into a truck to drive to small towns and reservations to sell items off the truck. Roland managed the Jerome Wilson-Bates for 38 years until 1995. Even after retirement, he found joy in part-time work for Wilson-Bates in Twin Falls, Ashley Furniture, and Sears. He enjoyed several retirements and felt great pride in his work. He had loyal customers all over the Magic Valley and couldn’t go out to dinner or to a store without someone coming over to say, “Hi Rolly!”Roland and Janet had three children, divorcing after 19 years. Roland married Gay D. Petersen and celebrated 39 years together until Gays’ passing in 2014. Throughout his long life he enjoyed gardening, flying, carpentry, motorcycling, camping, ballroom dancing, and singing. Roland was a member of the Barbershop singers and always a part of his church choir. He enjoyed trying new things, including skydiving (age 70), ziplining in Denali (age 84), and ballooning (age 87). Since 2022, he lived with his children, primarily residing with his son Randall in Boise. He passed peacefully after a short illness in the company of his children.Roland will be remembered as neighborly, industrious, quick to laugh, perpetually happy, often silly, easy to please, and filled with gratitude. He is proceeded in death by all in his immediate family of origin. He is survived by his children and their families: son Ronald K. Reese (Susie) of Hailey, ID; son Randall F. Reese of Boise, ID; daughter Melanie J. Reese (Stuart King) of Eugene, OR; stepson Tim Petersen (Raina) of Twin Falls, ID; ten grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren.A celebration of Roland’s life will be held on November 7, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. at White-Reynolds Funeral Chapel in Twin Falls. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests supporting Roland’s preferred charities: Filer Senior Haven Senior Center and The Idaho Food Bank.