William I. “Bill” Reese, Jr., 52, died March 16 at home. 

He was born on Jan. 13, 1953 in Seattle to William and Joanne Reese. He grew up in Seattle and spent all of his summers on Bainbridge Island.

He graduated from Roosevelt High School, in 1971. He worked in the grocery business for nearly his entire life. He started at the A&P store in the University Village in Seattle when he was in high school. 

He moved to Bainbridge Island in the early 1970s and went to work for Town & Country Market where he was produce manager until the mid-1980s. 

He also worked in the produce departments of Market Place and Central Market in Poulsbo.  During the past five years he managed a Salvation Army thrift store in the Lake City area of Seattle.

He was an outdoors guy.  He loved fishing, tennis, swimming, snorkeling and riding the waves on vacation in Ixtapa, Mexico.  He also enjoyed animals, gardening, cleaning, and cooking.

He was married three times.  His first wife was Terry Raffetto of Chelan, Wash.  In 1983 he married Marcy Oakley of Suquamish.  His third wife, Michelle Mackey Reese, preceded him in death in January 2000. 

He is survived by his parents William Sr. and Joanne Reese and his brothers Mike (Patsy) and Gary (Diane) all of Bainbridge Island; his nieces Tracy (Chris) Dew of Issaquah, Shannon Reese of Ellensburg, Kim (Matthew) Bund and great nephew, Jacob of Houston, Texas, and nephew, Matthew Reese of Bainbridge Island. He is also survived by his aunt Marilyn (Lou) Lacey of Union, Wash.; his cousins Scott, Doug, Brad, and their families; and cousins Linda Wight of Bellevue, Bill Maier, Dave (Paula) Maier and their families of Bainbridge Island.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. April 2 at Eagle Harbor Congregational Church, Bainbridge Island.

In lieu of flowers the family requests remembrances be made to the Salvation Army, PAWS, or Helpline House of Bainbridge Island.