Elmer "Ivan" Reich was born in Tallahanee, Oklahoma on January 25, 1924 to Atlas Immagene (Rose) and Ammon Hanford Reich. He was one of thirteen siblings. He married his beautiful wife, Alice (Reed) on September 4, 1943. He then moved to the Tulare area where he pulled cotton bowls and many other jobs to put food on his families table. He worked at the Chaney Ranch in Tulare and became a very good mechanic. Then in 1970 he moved to Shafter where he worked for the Shafter/Wasco Ginning Company for many years, then for Phil Jeffries (Farms). Ivan had a passion for hunting, any kind, deer, turkey, pheasant or quail; in his last trip (2 weeks ago) he helped his son-in-law Jim get a deer and was very proud of that assistance. When he wasn't out hunting in the land he was involved with his family and church. Ivan was a member of The Full Gospel Truth Church and attended regularly. Family was a very important part of Ivan's life, "Family came first." Ivan was preceded in death by sons Gerald Wayne (1990) and Charles Ray (1995), he is survived by his loving and nurturing wife Alice of 66 years; sons Roger Dale and wife Alberta, Ronald Dean and wife Sherry, daughter Lorna Gay and husband Jim Myers; very special niece who he considered to be an adopted daughter, Sara Janelle and husband Perry Epley; brothers, Clarence, Millard, Jack, A.H., Sherman, Lawrence, twins Jerry and Larry, Lester and Herbert; sisters Marie Landruth and Joanne Long; 12 grand children and 10 great-grandchildren; many friends and acquaintances. A Christian chapel service will be held for Ivan Reich, age 85 of Shafter, in the Chapel at Peters Funeral Home Friday, December 11, 2009 at 10 am with Pastor Bonnie Morrison of The Full Gospel Truth Church officiating, burial will be immediately after at the Tipton & Pixley Cemetery District in Tipton California. Visitation will be from 5pm to 8pm Thursday, December 10th, in the Chapel at Peters Funeral Home.