His Legend Will Live On
Robert “Zeus” Reese, long-time resident of Elizabeth Town, passed away in his sleep the night of March 7th, 2024 at the ripe old age of 78, despite his many attempts to be eaten by a bear or mountain lion. Zeus was born on February 6th, 1946, to Otis James Reynolds and Ida Margaret Johnson in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Zeus earned his nickname in high school due to his commitment to growing the longest beard. Whether the nickname or the larger-thanlife personality came first is up for debate. Being an adventure seeker, Zeus left Roanoke Rapids and headed for New Orleans where he met Peggy Massarini and sired his firstborn son, Ashley Vinson Massarini.
Zeus attended the historic 1969 Woodstock Music Festival and joined some hippies on their way to Taos, New Mexico to join the North Star Commune. During his time in the commune, Zeus met Cheryl and fathered two daughters, Rachel and Carrie Reynolds.
After leaving North Star, Zeus made his home in Elizabeth Town and started his lifelong pursuit and passion for bear and mountain lion hunting. Zeus got his first hound dogs and started training them with Dirk Neal and Pancho Trujillo in 1973. It wasn't long before Zeus got his bear tattoo on his hand to commemorate killing his 100th bear. Zeus also built up his hunting business, Moreno Valley Outfitters, with the help of Mary Jo Kelly, Dirk Neal, and Mike Bucks.
An avid hunter and fisher, Zeus was most often found in the mountains, on Eagle Nest Lake, or in a beat-up pickup truck, with friends like Dirk Neal, Jerry Metzler, Kenny Skolnick, Mike Sager, Pancho Trujillo, Valde DeHerera, Mike Bucks, Ernie Sutliff, Dave Ambrose, Jerry Campbell, Jim Kelly, Pauly Groeber, Don Rosso, Scotty Sweeny, Art Murphey Phil Hall, Gary Bowen, or all his Okie buddies. Zeus loved drinking and dancing at the Motherload Saloon or at the Goonie in Eagle Nest.
Zeus and Mary Jo had two children, Emily Ray Reese and James Hunter Reese, who were raised on elk meat and rainbow trout. Ashley fathered Zeus's first grandson, Ashton Hunter Massarini, and James Hunter fathered Zeus's second grandson, Bear Orion Reese. He was preceded in death by his infant granddaughter, Leaha Reese. Ashton Hunter and Bear have been handed the torch to carry on Zeus's legacy.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2pm at the Elizabeth Town Cemetery on March 30th, 2024 with a potluck at “the Goonie” after.