I'm going to assume that the answer is YES to my question, whether this is Marion Joe Reaves of Hempstead County, Arkansas.
His obituary tells us a bit about his background: Marion J. Reaves died on 4 March 1959 at Baton Rouge General Hospital at the age of 82. He was born in Hempstead County, Arkansas. He was a Methodist, and a 32nd Degree Mason, a member of the Blue Lodge of Port Arthur, Texas, and a lifetime member of the Albert Pike Consistory of Little Rock, Arkansas. His wife Fannie predeceased him. He was to be buried at the Resthaven Gardens of Memory, Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.(State Times Advocate (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) Thursday, 5 March 1959, Page 6. Accessed 19 June 2016 at GenealogyBank.com)
Based on that year and place, the Louisiana Death Index says that he was 82 years, 3 months and 4 days old when he died.(Louisiana Death Index: Page 759, Volume 3. Accessed 19 June 2016 at www.sos.la.gov) That would put his birth date at approximately December 1876. (I don't trust this date.)
Marion Reeves and Fannie Cox, both of Fulton, Hempstead, Arkansas. obtained a marriage license in Miller County, Arkansas, on 16 Jan 1906 and were married there the next day.("Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N9Q7-J8V : 12 December 2014), Marion Reeves and Fannie Cox, 17 Jan 1906; citing , Miller, Arkansas, United States, county offices, Arkansas; FHL microfilm 1,005,453.) The Security on the License looks like "H. S. Crowel/Crowl."
On the 1930 US Census for Port Arthur, Jefferson, Texas, Marion J. Reaves, a truant officer, says that his parents were born in the USA.("United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:C9TV-6N2 : 8 December 2015), Marion J Reaves, 1930.v ED 61, Sheet 3B)
On the 1920 US Census for Bois D'Arc, Hempstead, Arkansas, Marion, a bridge keeper, says that his father was born in Tennessee and his mother in Indiana.("United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDNP-NHJ : 14 December 2015), Marion Reaves, Bois D'Arc, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States; citing sheet 3B, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,820,064.)
When Marion Joe Reaves registered for the World War 1 Draft at Hope, Hempstead, AR, he said he was 42 years old, b. 16 April 1876. He lived in Fulton, Hempstead, AR, and worked as a bridge tender for the MO Pac. RR Co. His wife was Fannie.(U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [Ancestry.com. database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: NARA. Registration State: Arkansas; Registration County: Hempstead; Roll: 1530407)
On the 1910 US Census for Bois D'Arc, Marion J. Reaves says his father was born in Kentucky and his mother in Arkansas. He was a bridge tender for the railroad, and they were enumerated on the same page as the William E. Cox and Alvin L. Cox families.("United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKJ1-HVS : 29 October 2015), Marion J Reeves, Bois D Arc, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States; citing ED 73, sheet 23A, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,374,065.)
In 1900, "Marian Reeves," 24, a railroad laborer b. Arkansas April 1876, is a boarder in the home of John Slover in Fulton, Hempstead, AR. The William E. Cox family, including niece Fanny, 12 b. April 1888, is enumerated immediately below. Marian's parents were both both in Arkansas.("United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3F3-QTQ : 25 January 2015), Marian Reeves in household of John Slover, Bois d'Arc & Water Creek Townships Fulton town, Hempstead, Arkansas, United States; citing ED 41, sheet 3A, family 45, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,060.)
Unfortunately, that doesn't get us back to his parents.
The old International Genealogical Index has an entry showing his parents were John Reaves and Jane Abel.(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "International Genealogical Index (IGI)," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:1:9F99-4FL : accessed 2016-06-20), entry for Marian J. Reaves.) Although I don't generally trust IGI entries, this one was done by someone who knew his birth date, his death date and where he was buried.
A possible way to find his parents would be to obtain a copy of his Louisiana Death Certificate.
