Longtime Ashe County businessman and attorney Jimmy Dean Reeves of West Jefferson died Tuesday, July 31, at Forsyth Medical Center. He was 64.

Funeral services arranged by Badger Funeral Home will be held at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3 at West Jefferson Methodist Church officiated by the Rev. Greg Plott and the Rev. Lonnie Jones. Burial will be private. The family will receive friends from 3-5 p.m. Friday at West Jefferson Methodist Church.

Reeves served as senior attorney and member/manager of Vannoy & Reeves, PLLC, a law firm with offices in West Jefferson and Sparta. He served as attorney for the Town of West Jefferson for 38 years.

In 2003, he was selected for membership in Outstanding Lawyers of America, an honor bestowed upon the nation's finest attorneys that serves as a standard for measuring achievement and success in the legal profession.

"It always feels good that your peers think you do a good job at what you do," he said of the recognition. Nomination for the award must come from a member of the organization.

Reeves began his law career 40 years ago. Born and raised in Ashe County, he was the first in his immediate family to go to college, and chose law over farming as a career.

"I grew up on a farm, and knew I didn't like farming," he said in 2003. "I went to Wake Forest, and in my third (undergraduate) year decided on law school."

In his second year of law school, Reeves said he was contacted by Wade Vannoy who wanted him to practice with his firm in West Jefferson. "I didn't know him, and never thought to come back home to practice, but he wanted me so here I am," Reeves said in 2003.

Reeves is survived by his wife, Martha Long Reeves; two sons, Jak Reeves of Boone (who serves as attorney for the Town of Lansing) and Courtlyn Reeves of Charlotte; two daughters, Alex Reeves of Charlotte and Cagney Alexis Reeves of West Jefferson; his mother, Flo Reeves of Crumpler; a brother, Mike Reeves of Hickory; and two nieces and nephews.

Flowers will be appreciated, or memorials may be made to:

Ashe County Habitat For Humanity, PO Box 392, West Jefferson, NC 28694

Singing for Change Chairatable Foundation, PO Box 729, Sullivans Island, SC 29482

NAACP, Development Dept., 4805 Mount Hope Dr., Baltimore, MD 21215.