Obituary of Michael Thomas Reamer

Mike passed away on March 12, 2021 after many years of battle with Chronis Lymphatic Leukemia (CLL). He was born in Macomb, Illinois on June 26, 1951 to William and Bonnie Reamer. He graduated from East High School in Phoenix, Arizona in 1969. He is preceded in death by his father William Reamer and is survived by his mother Bonnie Reamer, his wife Debbie Reamer, his daughter Becky McCrary (Bill), his son Jake Reamer (Leslie), his brother Steve Reamer, his sister Linda Andrew, 14 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Mike had a very long and successful career of 33 years with the United States Forest Service. He began as a seasonal summer employee while attending Northern Arizona University. He worked his way from part time summer help, emptying trash cans and cleaning campgrounds, to working on a tanker truck. Mike advanced to become the Forest Management Officer (FMO) of the Coconino National Forest. He finished out the last of his career as a Law Enforcement Officer for both the Coconino and Prescott National Forests. Mike had a passion for youth soccer and for many in the Verde Valley that is how they knew him. He started as a coach with AYSO soccer when his kids were little and from there it just took off. He and Debbie were the town commissioners for Camp Verde for many years. Together with many other volunteers they founded and produced the Verde Valleys first major soccer tournament known as the Castle Classic. Mike was a key part of bringing soccer to Camp Verde High School as the coach of the first boys’ team in the early 1990’s. You could find him coaching the girls’ teams on and off at the high school and middle school for the next 15 years. As if coaching wasn’t enough, you could find him refereeing both for AIA and AYSO. To say he loved the game of soccer is an understatement. Soccer wasn’t Mike’s only passion, being in the outdoors camping, hunting, and fishing was a close tie. It was always a hard decision for him when it was archery season of how to make it out to hunt for a few days and still coach or ref a game. In the off-season, you could always count on many trips to Roosevelt Lake. Lake trips and camping with his family were his favorite. Mike was always there to lend a hand wherever was needed in Verde Valley youth activities, so you can’t leave out the Verde Valley Fair. For the many years that his children showed and participated in the fair on Saturday night of the auction, you could find him with a pig board behind the scenes pushing kids and animals though the alley. Mike’s values and dedication of family, passion for life and outdoor adventure, and the love of the game of soccer will forever be felt by all that ever had the privilege of knowing him.