Loretta Reese

Loretta grew up playing piano to her father's violin. They also shared a passion for opera. [See Eugene's profile.] Loretta married Bill Reese and had an apartment in New York City in the 1940s. There they exposed niece Sheila to art and culture at a young age. Then they moved to the Clearwater, FL, area, where they opened an art supply/stationery store with an art gallery. One of Loretta's close friends was the artist who created Dagwood & Blondie. After Bills' death, Loretta and a friend opened an art gallery. It didn't work out.

Loretta and Bill had no children. In 1958 they invited Sheila and me to spend the summer there, then in 1959, all 4 of us. It was the best time of my life. We swam daily in the Gulf and went on adventures to Marine World, the Everglades, a Seminole reservation, Cypress Gardens, WeekieWatchee Springs, Tarpon Springs, Bock Tower, St. Augustine, and all the sites on the long drive back to NJ. Loretta read aloud to us, taught us how to care for an injured bird, had us plant watermelon seeds, and gave us art supplies from pastels to oil paints. We even created our own printing press and sold our newsletter to neighbors. She instilled a love of books and history. I think of her every day.