PRESS RELEASE

Oakwood City Council and staff sadly announce the passing of Mr. R. C. Reece. R. C. Reece died on Saturday, January 15, 2022 at the age of 97. R.C. served the city of Oakwood for over 25 years, his last five as Service Director, managing and overseeing all operations of what is now called the Public Works Department.

R. C. was hired as a Laborer on March 3, 1959. He was promoted to Truck Driver in 1963, to Maintenance Foreman in 1966, to Assistant Service Director in 1972, and to Service Director (now called Public Works Director) in 1979. As Service Director, he led the entire department that provided Oakwood public works services including water, wastewater, refuse, roadway maintenance, and everything else that needed to be done to operate and maintain Oakwood’s public infrastructure. He retired on October 26, 1984.

Leisure Services Director Carol Collins began her career in Oakwood in 1974 and remembers R. C. very fondly. “R. C. was a great leader and employee for the city of Oakwood. I worked with him for several years in the Public Works Department and admired his work ethic and had great respect for him. I was glad I had the opportunity to work with him”.

“I joined Oakwood staff in 1992, so did not have the pleasure to work with R. C.,” said City Manager Norbert Klopsch… “but I enjoyed several wonderful conversations with him over the last 30 years when he periodically attended retirement luncheons for fellow employees.”

(Attached is a photo from the 2017 retirement luncheon for Assistant Public Works Director Mike Wenclewicz. R. C. Reece is shaking hands with Mike. Looking on are Service Director (retired) John Chain, who succeeded R. C., Assistant City Manager Jay Weiskircher (retired), Public Works Administrative Assistant Missi Seifert and Refuse Collection Driver III Erwin Johnson who unexpectedly passed away last November.).