Dr. William A. Reese II

Dr. William A. Reese II (“Professor Bill”), was born on January 3, 1947 in Texas City, Texas. He died peacefully at home on June 3rd, 2020, in the arms of his wife Lynn, which was exactly the way he wanted death to come.
Bill died of complications from a double whammy—lung cancer and COPD. Bill, who loved baseball, would appreciate the analogy between fighting each disease and using up the entire game (consisting of 27 outs) in the attempt to score a run off of Sandy Koufax for 8 innings and Mariano Rivera to close things off in the ninth inning.

Bill grew up in Texas City where he graduated from Texas City High School in 1965. He then went to Southwestern University, University of Texas, Austin and the University of Houston where he graduated with a B.S. in Psychology in 1970.

After graduation, Bill worked for Shell Oil, but never stopped loving academia. In 1976, he left the corporate world to enroll as a Graduate Student in the University of Houston’s Sociology Program. After earning his MA in Sociology in 1978, he entered the Sociology Program at University of Arizona, earning his Ph.D. in 1982.

He worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Texas Christian University, 1981-89 before being hired by Augusta College (now Augusta University) in the fall semester of 1989. He retired from Augusta University in 2018.

During his academic career Bill made over 30 presentations at National and Regional Sociology and Criminology Meetings and published over 40 journal articles, book chapters, reports in professional Journals, trade books, and institutionally supported monographs. Augusta University recognized Bill’s scholarship by awarding him as the Louis K. Bell Alumni Research Scholar in 1995. Bill was also a finalist for Augusta University’s Outstanding Faculty Member Award in 2006.

In addition to a superlative record of scholarship at Augusta, Bill also served the University in numerous ways. He selflessly gave of his time as the University Advocate during the consolidation of Augusta State University and Georgia Health Sciences University. He was also instrumental in creating the Criminal Justice (CJ) Degree within the Department of Sociology at Augusta University. Currently, this CJ Degree is now the largest major in the Department of Social Sciences. Further, his work for faculty on shared governance workgroups and faculty and college councils made him one of the most endearing advocates among all faculty at Augusta University. Bill did all he could to stand up for faculty, often working through the night for days on end.
As beloved as Bill was by his colleagues, he was even more loved by his students. While students regarded his courses as rigorous and difficult these same students have testified that Bill challenged them and changed their lives for the better. He helped many to believe in themselves and to see that they had what it took to pursue graduate school or other important dreams.

More significant than his academic achievements was the value he placed on family and personal relationships. As an only child, Bill was fortunate to grow up with the love and support of a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins. The Reese clan had frequent gatherings and reunions, and Bill carried on the tradition by ensuring that his generation of cousins stayed in touch. He made every attempt to attend the significant events in the lives of his children and grandchildren, frequently travelling to Texas until his health would no longer permit. He was remarkably thoughtful and generous. At Christmas, he would spend hours choosing just the right books as gifts for his colleagues. He clipped diaper coupons for a colleague with a new baby. He wrote the best recommendation letters for students. During the last week of his life in ICU, as the physicians explained there was nothing more they could do for him, he inquired about the health of the physician's mother who was also ill. (The last example led to a giant outburst of tears from his wife, Lynn). He was a very talented woodworker and gardener, and in his later years, an avid RVer. When his health declined to the point where he could no longer partake in any of his hobbies, he never complained. He remained upbeat and positive and, during his frequent hospital visits, he made an effort to comfort and cheer other patients and medical personnel.
Bill had great sense of humor and he kept Lynn laughing until the end.

To paraphrase one of his longtime friends, Bill’s booming baritone voice, way with words, and Texas drawl will roll around in our heads for as long as we live. But what we all know about death is that as vivid as we can remember a person (and that person’s voice), we cannot replace him or her. We miss the spontaneity of the deceased person’s mind and wit. Bill often surprised many of us. In so doing, he taught us in more ways we can describe. He cannot do that anymore, but as his students have noted, he did encourage all of us to surprise ourselves—to take advantage of all 27 outs that we have before the closer gets the last one.
Bill is survived by his wife of 33 years, Lynn Weide Reese, his daughter Gloria Lauryn Reese Henderson (Steve), his son, William III (Marisa), grandsons Alex and Andrew, granddaughter Alyssa, and his ever-faithful canine companion Angus.

Funeral services will be held Texas 1:00 p.m., Friday, June 12, 2020 with a visitation from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m., at Emken-Linton Funeral Home in Texas City. Burial will follow at Forest Park East Cemetery. A celebration of his life will be held in the Augusta area at a date to be determined.
Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at www.thomaspoteet.com