Former GSU beat writer Earnest Reese passes

[Nietsroob17]

Earnest Reese covered us for the AJC for many years, up until 2002 I believe. I never had a chance to tap his brain, but did share space in the press box with him in '02, which was my first year covering football for the George-Anne.

He was a pioneer for African-Americans working at major newspapers.

I found this link on his son's (apparently a PhD at a college out west) website. http://www.csupomona.edu/~rrreese/nonfla/earnest.html

Hate to hear my old AJC colleague Ernie Reese passed away. An institution of knowledge on small colleges. A prince of a man. He'll be missed @ajcuga 1 hour, 40 minutes

Prayers out to family of Earnest Reese, a great, who passed. Former AJC, one of 1st African American sportswriters at major paper. @JeffSchultzAJC 1 hour, 51 minutes

[feardaeagle]

RIP Earnest.

[Eaglereporter]

Ernie was a good guy to talk to. He was always very personable and if you needed an answer to a question he normally knew. He helped me out a few times on stories when I started at the George-Anne. I saw him several times since then and he always remembered covering those baseball games at Clemson. He was a really good guy and was very balanced in his reporting not only for GSU but also for the schools he coverd in Atlanta.

[Fightin Eagle]

His son was one of the best players to come through Henry County High School. The Reese family has been around here for a long time. RIP Earnest.

[GSCBBA1987]

I enjoyed his coverage of Georgia Southern and reading his other stuff in the Atlanta paper. He seemed to be a good guy.

[EagleTV]

Ernie Reece was a true gentleman. When I was a young sports reporter I had a chance to sit and talk with him at a Georgia State basketball game. He told me stories of Tracy Ham, let me ask him advice on the biz and even shared the last drink that was available in the press box with me. I was 24 at the time and he made a lasting impression on me of how to treat people starting out in any business. My prayers go out to his family.

[McEagle]

RIP Earnest. Our prayers for him and his family. I remember him and Furman Bisher covering The first GSC National Championship Game against Furman in the Tacoma Dome. I also have an album of his articles through the playoffs that year.

[Reuben Kincaid]

Didn't see this thread and started one over on the Open Forum.
Earnie was a terrific man. He loved covering Southern.

[BullochHLN]

Always had a smile on his face and a welcoming hand shake. Hadn't seen him in years but fondly remember our talks in the press box and waiting for interviews on the field, a true class act.

[The bandit]

Earnie Reese was a great friend of GSU. He was the primary beat writer for AJC through all the formative years. He was always positive, always friendly, very concerned with peoples feelings, compassionate to a fault....one of God's great people. May his family be comforted in their loss and may they be so honored by the legecy he left behind.