Grover Joseph Rees, Jr.

Breaux Bridge - Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., on Saturday, December 20, 2008, at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Breaux Bridge, for Grover Joseph Rees, Jr., 81, who passed away on Saturday, December 13, 2008 at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette. Father Hampton Davis will offer the Mass. Interment will follow at St. Bernard Cemetery No. 1, in Breaux Bridge. Grover was born on August 14, 1927, the eldest son of Grover Rees and Consuelo Broussard Rees, both of Breaux Bridge. After graduating from Jefferson Military College in June of 1944 and approaching his 17th birthday, Grover asked his father to sign his enlistment papers for the Marine Corps, as he was eager to serve his country in the battle against the Axis Powers. His father denied this request and Grover enrolled as a freshman at LSU. During his second semester at LSU, after extensive negotiations, Grovers father agreed to sign enlistment papers for the Naval Reserve, which Grover entered on May 21, 1945. He completed boot camp at Great Lakes, IL and was enroute to the Pacific Theater when the war ended. Still intent on service in the Marines, Grover applied to the United States Naval Academy and was appointed to the class of 1950. After graduation he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps and served as an infantry platoon leader before reporting to Pensacola, Florida for flight training. He earned his wings in October of 1953. As an aviator, Grover flew the AD-6 Skyraider and the FJ4-B Fury aircraft before resigning in1962 and entering the business world as a financial advisor. Grover met his wife, Patricia Byrne of New Orleans, in 1945 as a student at LSU. They were engaged while he was a midshipman at the Naval Academy and they married at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in New Orleans in June of 1950. Together they have twelve children, thirty-three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Survivors include his wife, Pat Byrne Rees of Lafayette; his sons, Grover Joseph Rees, III and his wife, Landai of Alexandria, VA, Robert Rees and his wife, Sally of Mandeville, John Rees and his wife, Linda of Lafayette, Stephen Rees and his wife, Maline of Lafayette, Charlie Rees of Lafayette, Tom Rees of Heidelberg, Germany, Dan Rees and his wife, Kay of Breaux Bridge, Jim Rees and his wife, Jeannine of Lafayette, and Richard Claude Rees of Lafayette; his daughters, Kathy Shires and her husband, Ed of Wilmington, NC, Peggy Crain and her husband, David of Metairie, and Mary Rees of Lafayette; his brothers, Dr. David Rees and his wife, Dale of Lafayette, Dr. Al Rees and his wife, Kay of Lafayette and Mike Rees and his wife, Betty Sue of Angleton, TX; his sister, Ann "Sis" Schwind and her husband, Peter of Andover, MA; his 33 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Grover Joseph Rees and Consuelo Marie Broussard and his brother, Bob Rees. The family requests that visiting hours be observed from 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 20, 2008. The family wishes to express their special appreciation to Southwest Veterans Louisiana Home in Jennings. Grovers sons and daughters also would like to express their most heartfelt gratitude to their mother for the devotion she showed to Grover during the last two months of his life. She was at the side of his hospital bed night and day, often hand-in-hand, providing both comfort and courage during a trying time. Pellerin Funeral Home, 211 Berard St., Breaux Bridge, LA 70517, (337.332.2199), is in charge of arrangements.