Ivan Dale Reece, 65
Bonner County Daily Bee | UPDATED 2 hours, 13 minutes AGO
Ivan Dale Reece died at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, Wash., on May 13, 2026, following a sudden, unexpected illness. He was 65.
Born June 6, 1960, in Portland, Ore., Ivan Reece came home four days later to begin a life in McMinnville with his parents, Frank and Gladys Reece. He attended McMinnville public schools and graduated from McMinnville High School in 1978. During his school years, he excelled in speech classes and earned many awards in competitive tournaments. He had an outgoing personality and basic love of life.
That gift for public speaking, along with his dedication to customer service, led to a career in automotive and recreational vehicle sales throughout the Pacific Northwest. Over the years, his work brought him numerous sales prizes, including trips to Europe, Mexico and the Super Bowl. At the time of his death, he had served for three months as general sales manager for Open Road RV in Ellensburg, Wash.
On August 24, 2002, he married the love of his life, Julie Ann Ashmore, in McMinnville, Ore. They lived in Clackamas, Ore., until 2015, when they moved to six acres in Sagle, Idaho, where they embraced small-town life and a rural home.
Ivan was known for his outgoing personality, gregarious laugh, magnetic smile and kind heart. He was proud of his family, would do anything for a friend, and enjoyed spending time on the water with family and friends.
He is survived by his wife, Julie Reece, of Sagle; his mother, Gladys Reece of McMinnville, Ore., currently living in Sagle; daughters, Shawna Butz (Travis) of Sandpoint, Idaho, and Katrina Reece (Kerry Harripersad) of Ocoee, Fla.; son, Dylan Reece of McMinnville, Ore.; stepson Derick Hyatt (Amy Marshal-Hyatt) of Happy Valley, Ore.; stepdaughters Stephanie Dunlap of Sandpoint and Samantha Green of Sagle, Idaho; and 11 grandchildren, Halo Beckman, Archer and Orion Millar, Jayd and Paisley Butz, Soleil and Relena Harripersad, Rodney and Maja Dunlap, Kody Szafransky, and Xavier Hyatt.
He was predeceased by his father, Frank Reece; his brother, Douglas Reece; and his second wife, Debbie Hyatt. His first marriage to Cathe Bernards ended in divorce.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, September 26, 2026, at City Beach, 102 Bridge St., Sandpoint, Idaho. Ivan’s friend Erick Klerck will lead a service and eulogy.
For those unable to attend, please send recollections and memories about Ivan preferably written by Friday, September 18, for a memory box to be shared with family members.
Mail to Julie Reece, P.O. Box 329, Sagle, ID, 83860 or email to [email protected].
