M. Francis Reeves

Waltham – Dr. M. Francis Reeves, of Waltham and Bluffton, South Carolina died Monday, May 23, 2011 at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. He was 83.

Francis was born in Columbus, Ohio on October 15, 1927, a son of the late Marion Washington Reeves and Jennie (Jones) Reeves. After graduation from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois he earned a masters degree from Ohio State University and his doctorate in philosophy from Boston University.

He began a forty-one year teaching career at Bentley College in Boston which later became Bentley University in Waltham. He was the first philosophy professor hired by the college and later authored two books on Plato, 'Problems of Philosophy and Society: A Conversation with Plato' in 1988 and 'Platonic Engagements' in 2004. Upon his retirement in 2004 he attained the status of professor emeritus at Bentley.

Francis was also an ordained Methodist minister and served at Methodist churches in Marlborough, Natick and in Newton Upper Falls. In addition he belonged to the United Brethren Lodge, A.F. & A. M., in Marlborough.

He leaves his wife, Ann E. (Lange) Reeves; his children, Debbie Taft and her husband, John, and Francine Reeves, all of Bluffton, South Carolina and his grandchildren, Brian Wirth and William Swan.

He was also the husband of the late Gloria M. (Holstein) Reeves and father of the late Kyra Reeves.

Graveside services will be held in Low Country Memorial Gardens in Bluffton.

A celebration of Francis' life will be held on Thursday, October 6th, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Dandes Room of the Adamian Academic Center at Bentley University, 175 Forest Street, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 311 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA 02472 or to The Center for Business Ethics, Bentley University, 175 Forest Street, Waltham, MA 02452.