Sparta couple doesn't plan to take it easy By JULE HUBBARD Staff Retirement is elusive for people like Cleo and Faye Richardson Reeves of Sparta. In the late-1970s, Cleo retired after working in the Sparta Post Office for 32 years and Faye retired after working in the Alleghany County Health Department for 33 years. In December 1980, they started the Village Shoe Inn at Trojan Village Shopping Center in Sparta in partership with Faye's sister and brother-in-law, Hazel and Charles Pugh. They closed the popular shoestore and retired last month, but don't expect them to become inactive. While they now have more time for travel and other leisure activities, Faye and Cleo plan to continue a busy schedule of community and church activities.

Cleo and Faye Richardson Reeves of Sparta

Mr. and Mrs. Reeves are active in Sparta United Methodist Church, where they have sung in the choir for over 40 years and have held numerous leadership positions. She was the church lay leader for three years and for the past four years has been the delegate for the annual conference of the United Methodist Church in Western North Carolina.

Faye was on the Head Start Council of the Blue Ridge Opportunity Commission. She has been a volunteer with health-related efforts and a member of the Alleghany County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She also served as president of the N.C. Association of Public Health Secretaries and as president of the Western N.C. Public Health Association.

Cleo, a 2000 recipient of the Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service, has been an active member of the Sparta Lions Club for about 45 years. He has served as president and secretary of the club and has been named Lion of the Year and a recipient of the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award.

Cleo has been editor of the award-winning Sparta Lions Club bulletin for over 40 years and has served as the club's Eye Bank chairman. He and other Sparta Lions work on programs to benefit the visually and hearing impaired, including the "Can Shakes," at the main stoplight intersection in Sparta.
 
 

Get the rest of this article in this week's issue of the Alleghany News!

Email: news@alleghanynews.com