Frank Lyons Reeves
July 17, 1929 – May 16, 2023

Long time Cocoa (Sharpes), FL resident Frank Reeves passed quietly at home on May 16, surrounded by loved ones. He was 93. Born in Rogersville, TN with his twin sister Bennie, he grew up there on the family's farm. He married Rogersville neighbor Betty Jean Smith at Gate City, VA in December 1947, and they began raising a family in Rogersville. Seeking a better life, he and Betty moved their family to
Cocoa in 1960, where he went to work in America's space program. During his career, he provided mainly logistics support to all four of our country's manned spaceflight programs, including Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle. Notably, his employers included Boeing,
EG and G, United Space Alliance, and Lockheed. During the long shutdown between Apollo and Space Shuttle, he worked in bridge construction and helped build the Pineda Causeway in Melbourne and other bridges in Crescent Beach and Tampa. He retired during the Space Shuttle program in 1995.

Frank usually worked a second job, at places like (now long gone) Gary Bennett's Bait and Tackle in Cocoa near the foot of the Emory L. Bennett Causeway (named for Bennett's brother – a Korean War Hero and Medal of Honor recipient), and in the sporting goods department at the (also long gone) JM Fields department store in Merritt Island. For a time, he owned and operated a well drilling business and drilled many water and irrigation wells in the Port St. John area. Following retirement, he worked part time at SF Travis and Company in Cocoa where he formed lasting friendships with the owner and other employees.

Frank loved spending time with his family. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and working outdoors. Hardware stores, farm and feed stores, and bait and tackle shops were special places to him. The vegetable gardens that Frank and Betty grew fed family members, neighbors, and friends for decades. He also made beautiful custom knives.

Frank is survived by Betty and their seven children, sixteen grandchildren, eighteen great grandchildren, and one great, great grandchild. He is also survived by his twin sister and another sister and brother; all three living in Rogersville. He was preceded in death by his
parents and eleven other siblings.

A celebration of life will be held later. In lieu of flowers, donations in Frank's name can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Online condolences may be shared at www.davisseawinds.com .