I was raised in Holden Beach, North Carolina.  I had a wonderful father and mother.  There were four children.  I have an older sister, Mary, a brother, Ronnie that has gone to be with Jesus, and a younger sister, Martha.  My parents raised us in church and taught us about Jesus as we were growing up.  I accepted the Lord when I was 8 years old.  I have always had a very close walk with my Lord.  That’s all I have ever known.  I have always been active in the church as I was growing up.  There have been times I have not been as close to Christ as I needed to be, but He always helped me back to Him where I belonged.
I went to school in Shallotte, North Carolina and went to college at Miller Motte College in Wilmington, North Carolina.  
I married my high school boyfriend, Laten Reaves.  We dated for six years and have been married for 50 years.  He is my best friend.  He was a friend of my brother’s and Laten’s father worked with my father.  I feel like I have known him all my life.  We have 3 children, Craig, Becky, and Cameron.  We have 6 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.  My oldest son helped raise 2 young boys that are now grown that we consider ours too.  One went to West Point and now is in the military serving our country and the other is now married and has two girls.  My husband and I have always felt God made us for each other.  We have helped raise several children and have even took in adults that have been going through hard times.  We have been in the seafood business for 46 years and have had seafood restaurants and shrimp boats.  We still have a shrimp boat, The Gracie Belle.
We moved to Beaufort, South Carolina in 1992.  I joined Shell Point Baptist Church in 1996 and I started working at the church in May of 1997.  It will be 22 years this year.  I love my job and it has been a great pleasure working here at the church.  I have worked in the nursery, taught Sunday School, Mission Friends, Adult Classes, WMU Ladies, VBS craft teacher, and the VBS Director.  I also did the bulletin, helped start the church library, and taught classes in the church I grew up in.  
I am a 3 time 15 years cancer survivor.  During the time I have gone through cancer, my church family has been there for me. They paid me for the time I was not able to work, brought food to my family, prayed and prayed for me, visited me, and called me.  My favorite Bible verse is “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” Philippians 4:13.  That is what helped me when I was going through cancer and everyday living.
I love to go fishing, bowling, swimming in the pool with my grandchildren and I love working in my church.
What many people may not know about me?   I have lived near the water all my life and I can’t swim.  I still love the beach, love being on the shrimp boat, love fishing on our little boat, and love playing in the pool.  Looks like I would learn to swim, maybe one day before I get to old.
Alice Reaves