Tigers’ No. 1 fan will be remembered in Green Forest

   Reece

By Rick Harvey

Sporting events in Green Forest will be different from now on. The school’s number one fan, the one wearing that bright red letterman’s jacket, won’t be on the sidelines or in the stands to cheer on the Tigers.

Gene Reece, a staple in the community, especially at Green Forest Tigers sporting events, passed away March 25. He was 89.

“Iconic would be the word I would use,” Green Forest superintendent Matt Summers said when asked how to describe Reece’s dedication to the city and the school district. “Anyone who has ever played at or against Green Forest over the years, up until this last year when his health did start to deteriorate, knew Gene and knew who he was.

“He was the number one Tiger fan.”

Wearing his Green Forest letterman’s jacket and either a Tigers or Agri Days cap, Reece would not only attend any school sporting event he could, but what happened in the game would cement in his mind, Summers said.

“He had the uncanny ability to recall game facts or scores or who the high scorer was and was just always present supporting games and activities on campus,” the superintendent said. “He was just an iconic figurehead for the town and the schools in Green Forest.”

Shane Compton, who played for the Green Forest basketball team and later returned as the Tigers’ head coach, said Reece wore his letterman’s jacket with pride.

“They presented him with a jacket several years back and I don’t know that I ever saw him without that letter jacket on,” Compton said.

Compton also marveled at Reece’s memory.

“I had graduated in ’88 and I didn’t really come back into town until six years ago when I took the program over,” Compton said. “And he came up to me like I had never left. He knew who I was and started having a conversation with me about games back when I played basketball. He still remembered me and he remembered situations that I didn’t even remember.”

Brent Compton, Shane Compton’s cousin and the boys basketball coach and athletic director at Berryville, grew up in Green Forest, playing football, basketball and baseball for the Tigers. He said you couldn’t have gone to the school without knowing Reece, especially his smile.

“If you’re from Green Forest, you knew who he was,” Brent Compton said. “He’s somebody you’d always see in the lobby or in the stands for just about every game, football, basketball, whatever game it was. He was always eager to come up to you and was always smiling. He would know every stat of every player and would know the score from every game from any year.

“I know from my era and even as he got older, you knew him. You knew Gene Reece.”

According to his obituary, Reece was born Dec. 25, 1934, in Marshall.

“When Gene was [12] years old, his family moved to a farm located just north of Green Forest … near Yocum Creek and the Fanning Community,” the obituary reads. “A few years later, his family moved to the town of Green Forest, where Gene lived for the rest of his life.”

Reece graduated from Green Forest High School in 1957, and before his passing, was the “oldest living relative of the extended Reece family,” according to his obituary. His younger brother, Charlie, was Green Forest mayor from 2009-2018.

“Over time, Gene became well known in his hometown and, almost daily, he could be seen walking the streets of Green Forest,” the obituary reads. “Gene knew the names of most of the townspeople, and he was happy to chat with anyone he happened to meet along his way. Gene also kept a supply of envelopes and stamps on hand, so he could correspond with his farflung friends. Gene also attended the annual Agri Days events where he liked listening to the musical performance.”

The obituary also highlights Reece’s lifelong dedication as a Tigers fan.

“Gene especially enjoyed attending high school sports events,” the tribute read. “He was born with an uncanny memory and could recite the names of players and scores and stats for many Green Forest football, basketball, baseball, soccer and volleyball game that he attended. He often spoke of his memories watching the Green Forest Tigers win the Basketball Tournament of Champions in Springfield (1956) and back-to-back Arkansas State Champion Basketball Tournaments (1967 and 1968).”

Even as a coach for Green Forest’s biggest rival, Brent Compton said that didn’t stop Reece from taking time to visit every trip his team made to visit the Tigers.

“Every game that we made that trip over to Green Forest, Gene would make a point to come visit with me and would always have that smile,” Brent Compton said. “You just knew if you were going to an athletic event there at Green Forest you knew you’d see Gene Reece every time.

“He was just a super person that no one could ever say anything negative about. He will be missed.”

“If you were a student or at any Green Forest athletic event you know who Gene was,” Shane Compton said. “He was that guy. He was always smiling and always approachable. He was always positive with me with the comments. I can tell you that as recent as two years ago he had come to me and he was complimenting me, complimenting my guys on how they had played in the ballgame because he had been there.

“He was probably Green Forest’s biggest fan and if you met Gene you were probably a fan of Gene’s.”

Reece’s visitation will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, April 5 with a “Celebration of Life” service scheduled for noon Saturday, April 6. Fittingly, both will take place at Grim Gym at Green Forest High School, a building Reece knew very well.

“It’s a place he spent many, many hours cheering on the Tigers and supporting our school and our programs,” Summers said. “You know, I don’t think that Gene Reece ever had a bad day. He was just always happy and always ready to talk about the game or an upcoming game. It’s a loss for our schools, it’s a loss for our community and our hearts and prayers and thoughts go out to the family in this difficult time.”