Avanelle Blanche Reese

Avanelle Blanche Reese, 99, a resident of Cape Coral, FL for the past 10 years, formerly of Gardnerville, NV, passed away peacefully at home Thursday, July 4, 2024 in Cape Coral. She was born February 17, 1925 in Sydney, NE to John and Ona Ellsworth.

She saw amazing changes throughout her life from Model T’s to a walk on the moon, party lines to cell phones.

Amazingly at 99 she texted and even used emojis.

At the age of 16 she traveled by bus or train to Oroville, California to live with her sister Gladys and her husband Aden. She graduated from Oroville High and married 2 Lt. Walter Maurice Turk. Army Air Force whose fighter jet tragically crashed in Ephrata, Washington prior to the birth of their daughter Darlene.

She then moved to Merced, California with Gladys and Aden where she married Roy Matthew Burnett and had 4 children, Judith Jane, Roger David, Sharon Diane and John Roy.

She later married Bonner Reese.

She enjoyed volunteering at the hospital and saw how hard it was on families as well as the patient. She was President of the Merced County Medical Center Volunteers from 1987 to 1990. She received an award from the Governor of Nevada for her volunteer service to senior citizens. Her commitment to volunteering stemmed from her childhood during the depression. For Christmas the Salvation Army would bring a basket and she would get a piece of hard candy.

At the age of 58 she graduated on the Honor Roll with an Associate of Arts in General Education from Merced College.

She was fortunate to be able to travel to Red China, Greece, Norway, Ireland, Hong Kong, Estonia, Turkey and Germany which made her more appreciative of our country.

She enjoyed playing golf and later watching it and football on TV.

Avanelle was a Methodist and is survived by her loving children, Darlene Wiksveen of Cape Coral, Sharon Clark of Silver Springs, NV, and Judy Burnett of NV; as well as 14 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren, 11 great great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Avanelle was preceded in death by her two sons Roger David Burnett and John Roy Burnett and 7 brothers and sisters.

A Celebration of Life will be held November 10, 2024. Details to be announced via www.MullinsMemorial.com.

Memorial Contributions in memory of Avanelle Blanche Reese are suggested to a charity of your choice.

Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cape Coral, is entrusted with final care.