Susie Reaves

(From Parker Mortuary)

Susie May Reaves was born September 8, 1932 to Earnie Franklin Reaves and Pansy England Reaves. She was called home by our Heavenly Father on October 30, 2018 at Mercy Hospital after several months of illness. She was the families 'Ancestry Roots Historian'.

She was baptized at the age of 15 years old and was a member of Unity Missionary Baptist Church for 71 years. Susie was an active Servant of the Lord as a Sunday School teacher, piano player for Sunday School, 66-year member of the adult choir and secretary for the choir for 49 years.

She attended Lincoln School and graduated in 1950. She was basketball queen, served in the Girl Scouts and was a Y-Teen. Following graduation, she was the first African-American to attend Joplin Junior College before integration. Mr. Arthur Christman, owner of Christman's Dry Good Store, for whom she worked as a babysitter, went to the administration and asked about her attending the college. They allowed her to attend but received no credits. She received college certificates for the night classes she attended from 1951-1953.

Susie was a former member of the Eastern Star Masonic Lodge; the Vashti Chapter #39; member of the Heroines of Jericho; Community Choir and Mo-Kan Celestial Choir.

She was employed by Christman's Dry Good Store for four years as a maid. She then worked for Macy's Department Store, the first African-American to do so, for 23 years in the sales department. She was a member of the Macy's 25 year Club and received many other awards and recognitions.

After Macy's closed, she went to work at Sears Roebuck and Company. She worked in sales and office clerk for 21 years, retiring on October 17, 1997.

Susie and her sister, Betty J. Smith, worked continuously with the City of Joplin to bring the all black cemetery, Parkway Cemetery, her final resting place, to beautiful conditions. They wanted similar conditions, like the other cemeteries, exposed picnic tables where families ate, because of segregation.

Susie was a humble, sweet person who was always willing to help others, especially children at the church, by teaching from the Bible the way the Lord would want them to be taught and trained.

She is resting in the Arms of our Lord because she has been so faithful and He wanted her to come on Home and have Peace.

Survivors include her loving, devoted sister, Betty J. Smith and her son, Gregory Smith, from whom she watched the mail for the words to, my 'Special Aunt'; and the families whom she helped raise as children.

There are so many 'special' nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who kept in touch that all loved her.

Services are planned for Thursday at 2:00 p.m. at Unity Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor Rufus Kelly will officiate. Interment will follow at Parkway Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Eric Colbert, Ronald Bonner, Odell Sawyer, Terry Wright, Tony Triplett, Glen Caldwell, and J.L. Love. Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Johnson, Joe Blue, Mike Gilbert, Greg Johnson, Bobby England, Anthony Carl Rogers, Gary 'Cat' Johnson, Jim West, Ray Charles West, Wardell West III, William Gilmore and Larry Johnson.

Arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary.

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