One of Albany’s longest business owners and operators and a former Albany Mayor, Harold F. Reeves, died Monday morning at the Cookeville Regional Hospital.

Reeves, who was also a long-time Albany City Councilman, served as the Mayor of Albany from February 6, 1979, through 1981.

He was selected to serve as Mayor of Albany on a unanimous vote by the Albany City Council following the resignation of then-mayor Robert Chilton, who had resigned earlier that year, citing health reasons.

Prior to his term as Albany Mayor, Reeves had served on the Albany City Council for several years.

Reeves has been a fixture in the Albany business community since the 1950s and had owned and operated as well as being a partner in several local and regional businesses.

Beginning in the 1950s and through the late 1970s, Reeves was the owner and operator of Reeves Motor Company in south Albany which was a thriving Ford automobile and truck dealership serving not only Albany and Clinton County, but several surrounding counties as well.

In the 1960s through the 1970s, Reeves was affiliated with one of the largest mobile home dealerships in this region, Twin Lakes Mobile Homes, which had outlets in several surrounding communities.

Reeves also founded Albany Redi-Mix concrete, a business that began in 1963 in south Albany and continues to operate now in the same location.

Currently Albany Redi-Mix is operated by Reeves’ youngest son and daughter-in-law, David and Delora Reeves, and their son, Brent. Harold continued to work in the business until just recently.

His oldest son, Mike, is a retired school teacher who is currently employed as the financial officer for the Clinton County Board of Education.

He is also survived by his wife, Pauline, who worked with her husband in the south Albany jewelry business, Polly’s Jewelry, for many years before that business was sold and continues to operate now as Kelly’s Jewelry. The couple was married in 1953 in New Castle, Indiana.

Reeves had served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Clinton County, a local financial institution that is currently operating as Monticello Banking Corporation.

A long time member of the Masonic Lodge, Reeves was a Master Mason as well as a Worthy Patron of the Eastern Star organization.

Reeves had been a member of the Clear Fork Baptist Church for 58 years where he taught Sunday School for 45 years and served as a Moderator in the church for the past 25 years.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1950 through 1953, earning the rank of Sergeant and trainer while stationed at Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri.

A complete death notice for Harold F. Reeves appears this week on page 4.