Obituary

Heaven’s host received a most boisterous angel when Aileen Reavis joined its numbers. Aileen leaves an adoring family to remember the unconditional love she provided us all.

Aileen was a good Norwegian girl, born on July 25, 1924 in Auburn, Washington to William and Alma (Johnson) Holt. Aileen spent her early years in the Seattle area, Montana and Anacortes before graduating from Franklin High School in Seattle, class of 1942.

Aileen spent her early adult years as an office girl and bookkeeper in Seattle by day, and a volunteer with USO by night, entertaining the troops shipping out to fight for their country during World War II. Aileen was an adventurous young adult, whether flying off a ski jump her first time on the slopes or traveling with a girlfriend to New York to attend Broadway shows.

Aileen soon met her future husband, Ira Reavis, at the zoo on a blind date, leading to a lifelong joke as to which one was in the cage. Aileen and Ira were married on September 6, 1952 and moved north to raise their 5 children in Ferndale. Aileen was devoted to her children and took an active role in caring for her grandchildren who would follow.

Aileen was an energetic member of the community, volunteering at her church, the Bereans bible club, the Ferndale schools, the election polls and the food bank among many other endeavors. Her sharp financial acumen and personal integrity inevitably led her to be appointed as the treasurer of many organizations.

To know Aileen was to know someone who was perpetually cheerful, who had an infectious laugh and who had an encyclopedic memory of birthdays, favorite colors and interests. Aileen represented that rare person who understood that her Christian duty was to devote her life to her family, friends and community without regard to her own personal gain. Aileen was afflicted with lifelong pain due to arthritis, but you wouldn’t know it judged by her positive energy.

Aileen was preceded in her passing by her husband Ira, brothers Bill, Kermit and Garnie Holt, her sister Frances Burr and her grandson Kurt E.I. Gorsuch.

Aileen is survived by her sister Marie Casal, her daughters Karma Reavis, Martha Bennett, Lois DeHart, Merry Reavis and son Jim Reavis. She is also survived by her grandchildren Trixy, Aileen, Merry, Milissa, Evangeline, Esther, Charles, William, Joshua, Elizabeth, Elanor and Rudy, great-grandchildren Samuel, Ruby, Gwydion, Cavan, Preston, Shigeru and Riley. There are many other nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws who also remain to grieve.

Please share memories of Aileen online at www.farewelltributes.com
Moles Farewell Tributes & Greenacres Memorial Park

Farewell Tribute Information

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, September 1st at 2:00pm at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham, 1031 North Garden Street, Bellingham, WA 98225. Donations Information

Aileen would have been honored by any good deed you wished to perform in her memory. Suggested memorials include donations to the following: Evergreen Community Church, 6899 Enterprise Rd, Ferndale, WA 98248;Arthritis Foundation, P.O. Box 7669, Atlanta, GA 30357-0669; Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th fl., New York, NY 10001; and the Eye Bank Association of America, 1015 18th Street, NW, Suite 1010, Washington, DC 20036