Stephen “Jeep” Reyes, age 61, of North Platte, Nebraska, departed this life on December 23, 2020 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska after many years of health complications.
Born on January 14, 1959, he was the youngest of five children born to Frank and Evangeline Reyes in Norwalk, California. After graduating from Los Altos High School in 1977 in Hacienda Heights, California, he worked for the City of Laguna Beach for many years. Having never married or having children of his own, it was after his brother Joe’s death that he carried out an honorable promise, to take care and watch over his brother's wife, Shirley, and their two sons, Steve and Robert. And he did just that for the rest of his life.
Moving to North Platte, Nebraska in 1994, he worked for the Salvation Army for many years before retiring early due to his declining health in 2000. It was in 2002 when his sister Roxann, donated her kidney to him, and blessed us all with an extra eighteen years of his infectious smile and presence.
An avid animal lover, he enjoyed caring for his many goats, ducks, cats, dogs, turkeys, and even a llama over the years. He enjoyed fishing and watching football and basketball, always cheering for his Nebraska Cornhuskers and Los Angeles Lakers and his favorite basketball player, Kobe Bryant. He loved to search for antiques with Shirley, and together they traveled all over the state in search for those hidden treasures to add to their ever-growing collections. He was always ready and willing to play a competitive game of Wii bowling, strikes or no strikes!
He will be missed so much.
Steven was preceded in death by his mother, Evangeline Reyes; older brother, Joseph “Joe Franklin” Reyes; an infant sister, Caroline Reyes; grandparents, Bruno (Maria) Martinez, Amelia Martinez and Fransisco (Anita) Reyes.
Survivors include his loving life-companion, Shirley Reyes; her sons, Steve Reyes of North Platte, Nebraska, and Robert Reyes of Carlsbad, California; his father, Frank (Griselda) Reyes of Apple Valley, CA; Sisters, Rachel (Reyes) Ramirez of North Platte, Nebraska and Roxann (Bill) Webb of Sugarland, Texas; brother, Alex Reyes of Woodburn, Oregon and half-brother Frank (Teresa) Reyes of Foothill Ranch, California; and half-sister Diana (Robert) Suderman of Winnipeg, Canada; and also leaves behind many aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins and many friends.
Graveside services will be 1:00 PM Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at North Platte City Cemetery with Pastor Doug Lee officiating. Visitation will be from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM, prior to the service at Carpenter Memorial Chapel in North Platte, Nebraska. Memorials may be made to the family to be designated at a later date. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is entrusted with arrangements. Online condolences may be directed to www.carpentermemorial.com.