Reece Bockh Laudick

Reece, 27, was born in Liberal, Kansas on January 30, 1991. He died on July 2, 2018 in Denver, Colorado.

Beloved son of Mark and Anne Laudick; adored brother of Morgan Kane (Peter) and doting uncle of Grady Kane.

Reece was a bouncy little guy with a definite stubborn streak. At age 3, he fooled us into thinking that he could read by reciting every word in ""I am a Bunny"" by Ole Risom. Turned out he had only memorized it after having it read to him at naptime ad nauseum.

There was no doubt that he was a smart kid. In Indonesia, where he lived for 5 years, he figured out early on that the household staff would do whatever he wanted–especially when we weren't home. Which accounted for the burn on his leg when he made our driver take him for a spin on his motorcycle. Even the burn on his leg didn't dampen his later love with motorcycles.

He was happy to return to the States in 2000. He loved being able to ride his bike in the neighborhood, play Texas pee-wee football and little league baseball. He also enjoyed riding his motorcycle on the trails near our house; a hobby that he carried into his adulthood.

Reece was not excited about the move to Doha, Qatar in 2002. Although he had been placed in the Gifted and Talented program in Houston, Doha had no such curriculum. A bored and unhappy Reece and Middle School was not a good combination. After two and a half years of turmoil, we all decided it was best for Reece and Doha to call it quits.

He attended Randolph-Macon Academy in Front Royal, Virginia for his freshman and sophomore years of high school. It was there that he played football, acted in school plays and learned to march–often more disciplinary tours than most of the other students. He could be a bit bull-headed.

Reece then decided to return to Qatar for his final two years of high school at the American School of Doha where he was a model citizen–more or less–it was Reece, after all. Reece switched from playing football to playing rugby where he earned the respect of the European and South African players who were impressed that an American kid could adapt to this non-US sport.

After high school, Reece attended Colorado State University. He worked very hard and achieved his degree in Mechanical Engineering in 4 years, mostly due to the fact that he did not want to be in school any longer. After graduation he went to work for Halliburton in North Dakota commuting back and forth from Denver for over 2 years; and then with Trustile a large custom door manufacturer in Denver. At the time of his death, he was working for Elite Line Services and was looking forward to opening Amazon's new fully automated warehouse in Denver next month, as part of the operational management team. He was very excited about the new job and the potential for advancement and the opportunity to open warehouses in other locations.

Reece is survived by his father and mother, Mark and Anne; his older sister Morgan Kane, her husband Peter and their son Grady. Also, his grandmother Irene Laudick, Aunt Andrea Blandin and her husband Dennis Johnson, Uncle Mike Bockh, Aunt Patricia Spotts, Uncle Steve Laudick and his wife Robyn, Uncle Glen Laudick and numerous cousins. Last, but not least, Reece is survived by his feline buddy, Biggie.

He will be sorely missed by so many and especially by his family. He was smart and had a wicked sense of humor. He could be impatient and prickly and did not suffer fools gladly. But underneath that sometimes gruff exterior was a soft heart. He made friends wherever he went. He was loyal to a fault and if you were a friend of his, you were a friend for life. He loved his nephew Grady and enjoyed sharing his childhood toys with him. He was a hard worker and wasn't afraid to speak his mind, whether to offer an opinion or to stop kids from bullying on the bus. He was very loved and there will be a hole in our hearts and lives forever.

""Of all sad words of tongue and pen,
The saddest are these,
‘It might have been' ""

–John Greenleaf Whittier

Visitation & Viewing will take place Thursday, July 12, 2018 from 5:00-8:00pm, with a Celebration of Life service Friday, July 13, 2018 at 3:00pm, both at Horan & McConaty 5303 E. County Line Rd., Centennial, CO 80122. A reception will take place following the service at the Laudick residence.

Please leave your condolences for the family in the guestbook below.

Visitation: July 12, 2018 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Horan & McConaty - South Metro/Centennial
5303 E County Line Rd
Centennial, CO 80122

Celebration of Life: July 13, 2018 3:00 pm

Horan & McConaty - South Metro/Centennial
5303 E County Line Rd
Centennial, CO 80122