John Robert Reva passed away peacefully in the presence of those he loved most on October 3, 2023.
John was born January 20, 1940, the third of four siblings to Anthony and Jennie (Rahaula) Reva in the coal mining community of Hiawatha, Utah.
John’s parents emigrated to the United States in the pursuit of a better life. They ended up settling in Hiawatha and his childhood stories about growing up in a company owned town where earned paychecks were spent at the company store were selectively shared. While sometimes humorous and sometimes hard to believe, the stories of life in a Company owned town, both positive and negative, were always confirmed by neighbors and friends over time, thus making his storytelling that much more surreal to those he shared them with.
During his teenage years John would spend the summers working at the Jackson Lake Lodge, in Grand Teton National Park. He graduated from Carbon High School in 1955 and promptly followed in his older brother’s footsteps by enlisting in the United States Navy as a submariner. For consistency, he also followed in his brother’s footsteps by informing his family of his decision to join the Navy only after enlisting.
His Naval career was a source of lifelong pride and totaled over 23 years traveling the world in the service of his Country. During his career he was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Navy Expeditionary Medal along with numerous other awards and citations.
While on leave visiting home in 1972 ,his older sister introduced him to the love of his life and wife of 49 years Marilyn (Campbell) Reva, who was an RN at Carbon County Hospital. They married in Las Vegas on May 2, 1974, and temporarily resided in San Diego before he was reassigned to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii where they would have their first and only child also named John.
Upon his retirement as a Senior Chief, he returned to Carbon County where he would remain the rest of his life. He, like his father and numerous family members before him, became a UMWA coal miner working as an electrician at several area mines until his retirement after 20 years underground.
Many of his fondest memories were spent outdoors hunting and fishing throughout Utah with his best friends, many of whom were also family members. In retirement, Phoenix became a second home during the winter months. John was a man of few words, but his laugh and warm smile usually left people happier for sharing his presence. John loved a good deal. The quickest way to get him interested in buying something was to tell him that it was on sale.
John is survived by his wife Marilyn, son John Clayton (Lauren), sister Arlene Vuksinick, and was preceded in death by his sister Sherrie and brother Dick (P.R.).
Per his last wishes, there will be no service, but those who loved him will never forget him.