With her children nearby, Josephine Reeves passed away peacefully on November 27 in Garden City, Idaho.
She was 94 years old.
Born May 4, 1927 in Winnemucca, Nevada to Genaro (John) and Marie Esparza,
Jo spent her early years making mischief and memories with her siblings Louie (Bo), Honorine, and Marie Jane (Liz) at the Winnemucca Hotel.
After John’s death, the family moved to a house on 4th Street. She graduated from Humboldt County High School in 1946 and married her classmate and high-school sweetheart Frank Reeves the following April.
They moved around a bit before settling in McDermitt, and soon Mark and Johna came to make them a family. In 1958 they moved to Boise where Jo worked as a switchboard operator and saleswoman for a variety of products.
She made many life-long friends through work and the Basque Center.
The family returned to Nevada in in the early 60’s, first in Orovada, where Jo established a branch of the county library in her home and drove the mail stage through the Kings River Valley.
Eventually, Frank and Jo returned to McDermitt. Josephine was the first manager of the Snack Stop, and many of her former workers credit her for giving them a foundation of employability skills that served them throughout their careers.
Jo held various roles in the family businesses. She was firm but fair as a businesswoman and landlord, and she kept meticulous records.
She was active in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, McDermitt Homemakers and the Winnemucca Basque Club.
In her later years she enjoyed travel and hockey with Frank and adventures with Honorine, including playing the slot machines after Mass.
Jo loved spending time with her grandkids and nieces and nephews and their children and watched hours of Disney movies with most of them.
She enjoyed interacting with family and friends from the Basque Country and hosting them for visits.
The last 7 years Josephine lived in Battle Mountain with her daughter. She enjoyed going to Margarita’s, attending Mass, Basque Festivals, and Thirsty Thursdays.
She is survived by her children Mark (Connie) and Johna; her grandchildren Amy (Burke) Blackner and Frankie (Rheana) Reeves; great grandchildren Hunter, Annabell and Bo Blackner, Easton and Grayson Reeves, Madison Pappas, and Kasia Nelson; nieces and nephews Chloe Dufurrena, Randee Maynard, Kris (Jerry) Hepworth, Todd Murrah, Margarita Delong, Frank (Kathy) Bengoa, Mitch (Clayre) Moiola, and Nona (Jerry) Robinson.
Jo was kind, witty and generous.
A celebration of life will be held in her honor on January 8, 2022 in McDermitt, with a Mass at Sacred Heart Church at 11:00 a.m. and a Memorial Service with lunch to follow at the McDermitt Community Hall.
