robert morris reel
Robert "Bob"
Morris Reel, 57, Lexington, VA, died March 1,
2003. He was the Executive Director of The Virginia Horse Center in
Lexington,
VA. He was born Dec. 12, 1945 in Vincennes, IN and was a graduate of
Vincennes
Lincoln High School, Indiana State University (B.S.), and the
University of
Maryland (M.S.). He served as a 4-H Agent in Marion County, in charge
of
agricultural programs for 12 years. He was on the 4-H youth staff which
won the
USDA Super Service Award presented in Washington, D.C. He became
involved in
the 4-H Horse & Pony Program, and was appointed the Indiana
State Fair 4-H
Horse Show manager beginning a life long love of the equestrian
business and
his hobby of showing Shetland, Hackney and POA ponies to cart. He
married Emily Smitherman in 1974 and moved to College Park, MD where he
completed his
Masters in Extension Adult Education. After 2 more years as a 4-H agent
in
Terre Haute, he returned to Prince George's County, MD where he was on
the
extension staff, and in 1979 jointed the Maryland State Extension
Staff. In
1983 he made an important career change when he became manager of the
Prince
George's Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD where he converted a
previous
thorough-bred race track into a full service equestrian center. In
1986, Reel
& his family moved to Lexington, where he became the first
Exec. Dir. of
The Virginia Horse Center, as then recently authorized by the
Commonwealth of
VA. The Center, during his tenure, was developed from only a concept to
a venue
generally recognized as one of the premier multi-purpose equine
facilities in
the nation. It has had a significant impact on the horse industry in
VA, as
well as the economies of the Lexington-Rockbridge County area and the
entire
Commonwealth. Reel was committed to community and public service. Among
many
such activities, he was past President of Lexington Golf and Country
Club and
RARO of Lexington, as well as Vice President of the Board of Southern
Virginia
College. He was a director of the governing boards of the regional
First
American Bank, Virginia Episcopal School, and the VA and IN Horse Show
Associations. He was a member of the Lexington Presbyterian Church.
Reel's
passions were his family, the development and successes of his sons,
showing
and dealing with horses and ponies, and the success of the Virginia
Horse
Center. He is survived by his wife, Emily S. Reel two sons Andrew
McCracken
Reel and Adam LaVelle Reel, both of Lexington his mother Anna Katherine
"Kate" Reel of Lexington a brother & sister-in-law, Dick and
Mary
Reel of LaPorte, IN. A private burial service will precede a public
memorial
service at 11 a.m. on Wed., Mar. 5 at the Lexington Presbyterian Church
followed by a reception at the VA Horse Center in the Appomattox
Mezzanine.
Arrangements made by Harrison Funeral Home, Lexington. The family
suggests that
in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Virginia
Horse
Center (P.O. Box 1051, Lexington, VA 24450). The VMI Keydet Club (VMI,
Lexington, VA 24450) or Virginia Episcopal School (400 VES Rd.,
Lynchburg, VA
24503).