I know there are several on here who knew Joe Reeder from Wilton Missouri.




Joe E. Reeder of Boonville passed away October 21, 2021 at the Harry S. Truman’s Veterans Hospital in Columbia, he was 86 years old.
Joe was born April 13,1935 in Hartsburg, the son of Chester and Helen Batye Reeder. He married Lovonia Nichols on April 3, 1954 in Ashland and she preceded him in death. Joe served in the US Navy during the Korean War. He was a carpenter and a trapper. Joe loved mushroom hunting and fishing with his family.
Funeral Services will be held on Monday October 25, 2021 at 11:00am at Robinson Funeral Home Ashland, Missouri. Burial will follow in Woodcrest Cemetery in Ashland. Visitation will be held from 9:00 to 11:00 pm prior to funeral.
Survivors include his children, Steve (LeAnn) Reeder, Jeffery (Terri) Reeder of Ashland, Cheryl (Bill) Whitehurse of Boonville; two brothers, John (Ethel) Reeder of Ashland and Chester (Butch) LouAnne Reeder of Hartsburg; three sisters, Janet Calvin of Tipton, Chiang Ryan of Ashland and Joyce Sapp of Hartsburg; seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren
He was also preceded in death by a son and daughter-in-law, Deryl (Smiley) and Jennifer Reeder, one sister, Jane Blakemore.

In lieu of flowers Memorial Contributions are suggested to Woodcrest Cemetery in care of the family.

Never knew him but read stories about his trapping capabilities...RIP Sir.

My condolences to everyone who knew Joe.

Have to share a little story about Joe. About 1989 my brother was attending MIZZOU and living in an apartment in Columbia, MO. Like any farm kid stuck in town he looked for any outdoor adventure he could find. Well he borrowed a little Jon boat and six horse outboard and set a few coon traps on the MO river. I can't give him much credit for good judgement because that was a recipe for disaster. Well one afternoon he and his girlfriend were running his traps and crossed the river to the far bank. A strong storm system moved in with winds that put big whitecaps on the water. They waited around for awhile but it was getting dark and my risk loving brother was about to attempt a crossing. Suddenly Big Joe Reeder comes around the bend in his giant river boat loaded to the gills with an eye popping catch of coon and red fox. Seeing their predicament Joe proceeds to load their little drowning device crossways on his boat and haul their sorry selves back across. Years later I got to know Joe a little and whenever he would run into me he would ask about my brother with a grin. My standard response was that he hadn't gotten himself killed YET! No two ways about it, Joe Reeder was a legendary MO Mountain Man. Rest in peace.

Great story. RIP Joe. Prayers for his family

Joe was a legendary Missouri trapper, I remember hearing about his numbers and being in awe.

Must be the Big Joe Reeder Craig OGorman spoke highly about.Another of the old guard passing.RIP

I agree Buck. In one of OG's books he mentions Joe and his big beaver catches on the Missouri.

Sounds like a great guy-God Bless.
He lived to a good age anyway.

Prayers for the friends and family.

RIP Joe and Sympathy’s to his family.

I too, first heard of Big Joe Reeder from my friend and mentor Craig O’Gorman back in the mid 1970’s but didn’t meet the man until in the 2000’s at a trapping convention in Missouri. What a pleasure that was.

He was famous for his big catches of everything with just one trap, #3 double longsprings and drowning them all including coyotes and bobcat. He was truly one of a kind.