John Clayton "Rabbit" Reeves

Funeral Services for John Clayton “Rabbit” Reeves, 88 of Jefferson, Texas will be held on Friday, February 27, 2026, at 2:00pm at the New Prospect Baptist Church with Bro. John Givens officiating and under the direction of Haggard Funeral Home. Interment will immediately follow at Prospect Cemetery. A time of visitation will be held prior from 12-2:00pm at the New Prospect Church in Jefferson, Texas.

Mr. Reeves was born on July 1, 1937, in El Dorado, Arkansas to Bernie Mae Latham Reeves and James Herbert Reeves. He passed away peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family and friends on Monday, February 23, 2026, after a battle with cancer.

He was a 1955 graduate of Jefferson High School and went on to Lon Morris College on a basketball scholarship. Also, he attended East Texas State College, now known as East Texas A&M, where he received a BBA degree in accounting in 1959. John became a certified public accountant, obtaining his license in 1967 and practiced public accounting in Jefferson for 25 years. He purchased the first computer used in Marion County for his accounting practice and was appointed as the first Marion County auditor. Later he served as the Veterans Service Officer of Marion County. In 1995, he was elected president of the Jefferson Nation Bank. On September 6, 1959, he married Carolyn Jo Smith, daughter of Otis H and Beucie Smith. They were the proud parents of three children, Donald Ray Reeves, Edwin Dale Reeves and Lynda Diane Reeves Newsome.

John enjoyed sports, including golf and fast pitch softball. He enjoyed flying and he held a commercial and instrument rated flying license. He was instrumental in upgrading Marion County Cypress River Airport from an abandoned grass runway to a longer paved lit runway. He designed, built and operated the Rusty Rail Golf Course for 17 years. The golf course was rated number 17 in the state of Texas for nine hole golf courses by the Dallas Morning News. He honorably served his country in the United States Air Force and then continued to serve for an additional six years in the Air Force Reserves.

Mr. Reeves cherished his last few years with his companion, Dorothy Whatley.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his siblings, Leland Reeves, Janet Gardner, Alma Hartman, and Jean Schmidt; son-in-law, Tracy Newsome.

Those left to cherish his memory are his children, Don Reeves and wife Shanna, Lynda Diane Reeves Newsome, and Dale Reeves and wife Diana; grandchildren, Britne Hammons, Trisdon Thomas and husband Michael, Aerial Reeves, Mason Reeves; great grandchildren, Zoey Zilenski, Parker Knight, Avery Thomas, Torin Hammons, and Malcolm Hammons.

Pallbearers will include Matt Whitfield, Michael Thomas, Shorty Braddock, Phil Parker, Mason Reeves, and Kyle Keith.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Latham and his friend and mentor, the late Gene Ford.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Prospect Cemetery, 5841 US 59 N Jefferson, Texas 75657.

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