Thomas Ray Reece, DVM

Funeral service for Thomas Ray "Tommy Doc" Reece, age 71, of Tipton, Oklahoma, will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday, May 4, 2026, at the Jackson Funeral Home Chapel, 921 West Gladstone, Frederick, Oklahoma. Burial will follow in the Frederick Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Jackson Funeral Home.

Visitation will be held at the funeral home Monday 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. prior to the funeral service.

Dr. Thomas Reece passed away on April 30, 2026, in Altus, Oklahoma, following a lengthy illness. Dr. Reece graduated from the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1980, and spent nearly all of his professional life in his hometown of Tipton, Oklahoma, where he established and operated a mixed large animal practice involving mostly beef cattle and horses. He was a lifelong learner, earning Master of Science degrees from the University of Nebraska and Purdue University in preventive medicine, and was a Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine (epidemiology).

He was an exceptionally bright man who often entertained with humorous one-liners or a quote that he recalled from something he read in his vast library. Dr. Reece was known not only for his intelligence, but his respect for others and his professional approach to life. He was a kind and gentle person who could easily become one of your good friends. He provided veterinary services to many cattle and horse sectors during his career, and maintained a USDA-approved Coggins testing laboratory that provided service not only to local horse owners, but horse auctions as well.

You could say that his primary hobby was veterinary continuing education, attending numerous conferences each year. He was a life member of the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association and the Academy of Veterinary Consultants, and also was a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Western Veterinary Conference, and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. When assigned to a committee in one of these organizations, his response was well organized and presented in a professional, easily understandable manner. Usually, he was the first one to complete his homework. Dr. Reece also contributed generously to student scholarship funds to help ease the financial burden on younger veterinary students.

Dr. Reece was born in Frederick, Oklahoma, on August 5, 1954, and spent nearly all of his life in Tillman County, Oklahoma. He spent much of his youth helping his family on their cotton farm, but early in life decided that he preferred veterinary medicine to sitting on a tractor seat for hours at a time. He graduated from Tipton High School in 1972, where he was deeply involved in the school’s FFA chapter. Following graduation from high school, he attended Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, for four years, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree, and then on to Oklahoma State to pursue his degree in veterinary medicine.

Dr. Reece was preceded in death by his father (Ray), mother (Marie), and uncle (Raymond), and is survived by numerous cousins scattered across several states. He was a model citizen in his area of the state, and left behind many friends and former clients.

Tommy is survived by his cousin, Adonna Gay Bruser, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, her family, and several other cousins.

Special thanks to the late Elvis Danna, Caleb Ward, Gary Strickland, and the staff at Magnolia Assisted Living and the English Village Skilled Nursing Center for their love and care that they provided to Tom.