Robert “Bob” Reed, age 91, passed away early Sunday, May 12, 2013 at his home in Katy, Texas, surrounded by his loving family. Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 66 years, Eleanor Glyn Stephens Reed. His family is comforted in knowing that Mom and Dad were reunited most fittingly on Mother’s Day.
Bob was born on May 6, 1922, in Clarksburg, West Virginia, son of Lottie Davis and Cecil G. Reed. He is survived by one daughter Rhonda Reed Turns, of Cypress; two sons, Stephen Howard Reed (“#1 Son”) and wife Sue of Richmond, and Dan Alan Reed and wife Vicki of Houston. He is also survived by three brothers Denver Reed, Charles Reed, and Bill (wife Betty) Reed of West Virginia. “Grandpa Reed” leaves his eight precious grandchildren to cherish his memory, Rollin Lee Reed and wife Brooklyn of Stone Bluff, Oklahoma, Delanie Reed Bossier and husband Chris of Pearland, Richelyn Rae Reed and Austin Howard Reed of Houston, Chelsea Noel Turns of Cypress, Brandie Freeman Lakman of Kirkland, Washington, Darryl Keith Freeman of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Matthew Eric Drennan of Humble; as well as his seven great-grandchildren, Cole and Malia Lakman, Collin and Madison Reed, Camryn and Stone Bossier and Evan Drennan.
Bob was loved by numerous nieces and nephews, extended family and friends, including Douglas and John Stephens, Kaye Reed, Faye Drennan, Rosa and Lonnie Felder, Maria Arzola (husband Ezequiel) and children Joscelyn, Ezequiel and Nora, and special neighbors and friends, the Campbell and the Corley families of Dallas, the Sampa family of Katy, Ed Dick of Katy and his caring neighbors on Autumn Meadow.
Bob was also preceded in death by his parents, sister Dorothy Holtz and son-in-law Delmon Turns.
Bob graduated from Salem High School and attended Salem College. At 18 years of age, Bob, his brothers and friends in Salem, West Virginia enlisted in the Army of the United States. Shortly thereafter in January 1941, he was inducted into federal service and served in the Asiatic-Pacific campaign in Sitka, Alaska until December, 1942. Bob then completed pilot training and served as
a Second Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps, teaching pilots during World War II through August 1945. He proudly served his country and remained a loyal veteran and staunch defender of the American values for which he bravely fought.
During his pilot training and deployment to the Army Air Force Base in Waco, Texas, Bob met and married Eleanor Stephens, the love of his life. Bob was a faithful and loving husband for 66 years. After their marriage, both Bob and Eleanor worked at Chance Vought in Grand Prairie, Texas and Bob then continued working for them in Lancaster, California as a sheet metal mechanic servicing ejection seats for military airplanes. Bob began his early work career earning twelve-and-a-half cents an hour. He held jobs in West Virginia, California and Texas working diligently in a grocery store, as a steel worker, flight instructor, sheet metal mechanic and as a service station owner with his brother-in-law. Bob and Eleanor then settled in Dallas, Texas, where Bob became a highly successful commercial tire salesman with B.F. Goodrich for 30 years. Upon his retirement in 1984, Bob and Eleanor relocated to Houston, Texas to be near his three children.
Bob was a faithful servant of God, an honorable man who lived by the principles of hard work, honesty and integrity. He was ordained as a Southern Baptist Deacon and taught Sunday School, serving many years at Cockrell Hill Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas, and Bear Creek and Autumn Creek Baptist Churches, Houston, Texas. He believed so strongly that a church should serve the local community, that he and several seniors (most super-seniors!) started a Fifties Plus Church when their former church relocated. His last days of Christian fellowship were at Central Baptist Church, Houston, Texas.
Through his obedience to God, Bob was a loving provider for his family, giving never-ending support no matter the circumstances, and always led by example. He worked hard, lived within his means and was self-sufficient because taking care of his family was his priority. Throughout the years and continuing through age 90, Bob was the number one fan at his children and grandchildren’s activities, encouraging them through their myriad of events, including football, baseball, golf tournaments, drill team performances, dance recitals, motorcycle road racing, and motocross. During the last fifteen years, he enjoyed numerous hours in the garage and at the motocross track supporting his grandson through Robert Reed Racing. He was also an avid golfer and enjoyed playing throughout the years with friends and family; he “shot his age” at “70”, made two holes-in-one in his career; his last round of golf was played with his sons just several weeks prior to his death.
Bob was a quality “shade-tree mechanic” and the ultimate “do-it-yourselfer” who believed in fixing things himself and rarely used the services of a home repair or mechanic shop. He had a collection of hardware, nuts and bolts, and scrap materials that he kept throughout the years; he would always fabricate tools and parts instead of purchasing them. Anything that broke in the house, our family knew that it was a job for “epoxy PaPa”. From auto/motorcycle repair, home repair, yard maintenance including tree/bush removal, he could, and would, do it all.
Even during his final challenge battling cancer, Bob taught his children to never give up and trust that God will never give us more than we can handle. We are certain that he is now reunited with his loving wife in their heavenly home.
Services will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2013, at Central Baptist Church, 2855 Greenhouse Rd., Houston, with Larry Maddox, Senior Pastor and Roy Maddox, Co-Pastor, officiating; arrangements made under the care and guidance of Beresford Funeral Service, Houston. Viewing will begin at 12:30 p.m. with the funeral at 1:00 p.m. followed by interment at Memorial Oaks Cemetery on I-10 at Eldridge in Houston; Military honors will be presented by the United States Air Force with special presentation of the American Flag by family friend Command Sergeant Major John F. Sampa. Pallbearers will be Rollin Reed, Austin Reed, Eric Drennan, Chris Bossier, Paul Campbell and John Sampa. Honorary Pallbearers will be Darryl Freeman, Cole Lakman, Collin Reed, Douglas Stephens, Ezequiel Saavedra and J.B. Sampa.
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