Dr. Robert H. Reese entered his eternal home on October 6, 2026, surrounded by his family. Born on January 24, 1933, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, he was the son of Merthyn and Ada Reese.
Bob leaves behind an incredible legacy of love, faith, and compassion. His wife, Sandy, and his children, grandchildren, and extended family grieve his loss but take comfort in the many memories, stories, and lessons they will carry forward.
Bob’s grandparents immigrated to the United States from Wales in 1910. His grandfather served as a Presbyterian minister to the Welsh coal miners at Bethania Presbyterian Church in Scranton, beginning a legacy of faith that would remain throughout Bob’s life.
Bob had a love for animals from a young age. As a boy, he had a paper route and a faithful dog that accompanied him each morning through the streets of Scranton. Never one to shy away from a little mischief, Bob and his best friend, Bob Cetta, often found themselves at the center of boyhood misadventures. At twelve years old, the pair hitchhiked from Scranton to New York City and spent the night on a bench in Central Park.
A child of the Depression, Bob developed a deep work ethic at an early age. He held many jobs throughout his teen and young adult years, from painting houses on Cape Cod during the summers to washing dishes at a Jewish fraternity while attending veterinary school. After his father passed away, he took great pride in working hard and helping support his family: his mother, brother, and two sisters.
Bob graduated from Central High School in Scranton in 1950. After high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps. Following his military service, he continued his education at Keystone Junior College. Bob had a natural love and aptitude for science and biology, but it was there that he read The Circus Doctor, a book that helped set the course for the rest of his life and inspired him to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.
He continued his education at Penn State University before attending veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania. Upon graduating from veterinary school in 1959, Bob married Mary Cunningham and returned to Clinton County. Together they welcomed three children, Debbie, Nancy, and Robert (Bobby) Jr.
For his first year as a veterinarian, Bob worked for Dr. Fretz. In 1960, he started his own veterinary practice in Dunnstown. The early days of the practice looked much different from veterinary medicine today. Surgeries were sometimes performed on the kitchen table, and the house was often filled with dogs tied to doorknobs, waiting for their owners to return and take them home.
Bob often said he chose to begin his career in Lock Haven after falling in love with the area during his drives between Scranton and Penn State. In 1969, the family moved to a farm on the Island Road in Lock Haven. There they enjoyed the beautiful backdrop of the mountains and Susquehanna River, where Bob loved to swim. The farm became a gathering place for family and a backdrop for holidays, birthdays, time in the barn, and countless ordinary days that became cherished memories.
Over the decades that followed, Dr. Reese cared for nearly every kind of animal, from cows, horses, and other livestock to countless beloved family pets. Known simply as “Doc” to many throughout the community, he took immense pride in caring for animals and the people who loved them.
If you took a ride with Bob along the back roads of Clinton County, he could tell you the name of just about every farm, the farmers who lived there, how many cows they milked, and what illness, injury, or middle-of-the-night emergency had brought him there over the years. Those roads held the story of a lifetime spent serving his community.
As the years passed, veterinary medicine changed. More and more families sought veterinary care for their companion animals, and in 1974 Bob built Susque Valley Animal Hospital, the first veterinary hospital in Clinton County. While the small-animal side of the practice continued to grow, Bob never lost his love for horses and continued treating them throughout the area for many years.
Bob met Sandy Young in 1977 when she began working at Susque Valley Animal Hospital. Together, they continued to build the practice, spending many years side by side at the clinic and on countless emergency calls. Sandy brought Bob immense joy and love when he needed it most.
In 1983, Bob and Sandy married, beginning more than four decades as husband and wife, best friends, and confidantes. Together, they raised and showed Quarter Horses and opened their home to dozens of dogs and cats in need over the years. They also saved and rehabilitated many wild creatures, from birds of all kinds to fawns, squirrels, opossums, and even a bobcat. Their shared love of animals was woven into their life together.
Some of their happiest times were spent at the farm with their grandchildren, niece, and nephew. There, they shared their knowledge and love of horses and animals, teaching the next generation to ride, care for animals, and appreciate the life they loved so much.
The Reese family’s tradition of veterinary medicine continued when Bob graduated from Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1990 and joined his father in practice in 1992. For Bob, veterinary medicine was far more than a career. It was a way of life. He loved caring for animals, but he also loved caring for people and developed strong relationships with many of his clients whose pets and families he cared for over the decades.
Dr. Reese practiced until he was 87, in a rewarding career that spanned more than six decades. He was a vet at heart until his final day. He leaves a legacy of compassion, care, and selflessness that will carry on in the lives of his family and the many whose lives he touched.
As devoted as Bob was to veterinary medicine, his greatest source of pride was his family. He loved his children, his ten grandchildren, his nieces and nephews, and his four great-grandchildren and took tremendous joy in being part of their lives. He was known for cooking large breakfasts first for his children and, later, for his grandchildren. He encouraged them to pursue an education, celebrated their accomplishments, and delighted in watching them grow. He especially loved watching them show horses and compete in athletics.
Bob was also a devoted patriot who loved his country and spoke often about how proud he was to be an American. He shared that love of country with his children and grandchildren and worked to instill in them the values that mattered most to him: hard work, education, sacrifice, family, and gratitude.
Those who knew Bob knew a man who was selfless and caring, gentle and strong, generous and kind. He was smart and quick-witted, with a wonderful sense of humor. He gave freely of himself, worked hard throughout his life, and never hesitated to help a person or animal in need. Those who loved him best knew that beneath it all lived a healthy measure of Welsh stubbornness.
Above all, Bob was a man of deep and abiding faith. That faith sustained him throughout his life and now sustains the family who loved him. He often said that his greatest accomplishment was that each of his children knew Jesus. They take comfort in knowing that after a life of service, love, and devotion to his family, his community, and the animals entrusted to his care, he is now rejoicing with his Savior and caring for the many animals that surely reside in Heaven.
Bob is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Sandy Reese. His children, Debbie Reese, Nancy (Kevin) Johnson, Bob (Jacquie) Reese. His grandchildren, Elizabeth Arnold and her husband, Seth Ulmer; Brett Arnold and his wife, Kelsey; Laura Kalbach and her husband, Ryan; Brady Reese; Chad Reese; Erin Reese; Tara Phillips and her husband, Cole; Megan Borowicz and her husband, Jacob; Seth Reese; and Jeremy Reese; and four great-grandchildren, Jace, Willa, Archer, and Reese.
He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Brad Young, and sister-in-law, Sharon Foley; their children, Bailey Dolimpio and her husband, Nick, and Dawson Young and his partner, Desirae Richards; and their grandchildren, Cooper, Whitley, and Indiana; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and his three siblings.
A celebration of Bob’s life will be held on Saturday, October 10 at 11:00 a.m. at Grace Fellowship Church, 19 W. Ridge St., Avis, PA 17721. Family and friends are invited to gather at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m. to visit with family prior to the service.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Gedon Funeral Homes and Cremation Services LLC., 121 W. Main St., Lock Haven, PA 17745. Thoughts and Memories can be made at the Gedon Funeral Homes Facebook Page or www.GedonFuneralHomes.com.