August 25, 1937 – January 26, 2026
Don Reeverts was a man dedicated to the idea that people need the love of Jesus, and did everything in his power to give it to them. From Knoxville, Tennessee, to Pasadena, California, to Denver, Colorado, he sought to spread this love to everyone he encountered.
A gifted basketball player at Fulton High School in Knoxville, who earned a scholarship to the University of Tennessee, Don soon found the true measure of life off the court. In a profile of him in Young Life magazine, the 17-year-old boldly proclaimed what was truly important to him:
“At a very early age, I heard things concerning a man named Jesus Christ. I believed the facts about him, but I never really trusted in him.
“I just went along like this until my freshman year at Fulton High school, when I attended my first Young Life meeting. ‘Frog’ Sullivan, our leader, told us in a simple way, how much we meant to Jesus Christ, and how he wanted us for himself; how he died that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly. After turning my whole life completely over to Jesus Christ, who went through so much for me, it began to make some sense. (Romans 8:28) I can safely say that without him, I could do nothing.” (Young Life magazine, March 1955)
While at Tennessee, he served on Young Life student staff, reaching out to high school kids who looked up to the star center. From there he went to Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, graduated, and prepared to come on full-time Young Life staff, just as his older brother, Bob, had done before him.
As was often the case in those days, staff received word of where they were to go from the founder himself, Jim Rayburn. Three days before he was set to leave for Little Rock, Arkansas, Jim told Don he’d be going to Denver instead.
It was here he served faithfully with the mission for the next 15 years, in area, regional, and divisional roles. Post-staff his influence in the city continued, as he eventually became:
- Key organizer of the Colorado Prayer luncheon
- Executive director with Whiz Kids Tutoring (ultimately placing 800 tutors with 800 inner-city kids)
- President of the Board for Denver Leadership Foundation
Through it all, he never stopped pointing people to Jesus. In the mid-70s, Don gave a club talk at Young Life’s Frontier Ranch that was later shared in Young Life magazine. Here’s the conclusion to his talk:
“The Good News of God’s plan is that he sent his Son to die for us, to pay for our sins – we accept this and receive him in our life, to run the show.
“The whole point is that God wants to enter your life. He wants to give you the capacity to love, the power to love, and everything that is necessary to give you an abundant life. That’s the good news. It’s not acting religious. That doesn’t work for 10 minutes. It’s not trying to shape up in your own strength – it’s letting him do it in you. The answer is a change at the center. God enters you and brings to you an abundant life in Christ. That’s the Good News.” (Young Life magazine, Fall 1976)
The same good news Don Reeverts spread with all those fortunate enough to spend time with this humble servant.
