John Adam Reed

John Adam Reed, 85, of Roanoke, Va., was mercifully called by God to eternal rest on Sunday, September 21, 2008. He was born to the late Grover Cleveland Reed Sr. and Julia Pettis Reed on February 1, 1923. The fifth of twelve children, he was preceded in death by Willie, Kathleen, Dorothy, James, Julia Ann, Lawrence, and Leonard. He was educated in McDowell County Public Schools and was a graduate of Bluefield State Teachers College where he joined Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. He served in the United States Army during World War II. At an early age, he joined Mount Moriah Baptist Church and accepted Christ as his personal Savior. At the time of his death he was a member of Maple Street Baptist Church. On May 31, 1949, he married the late Mary Elizabeth Coleman and from that union Joan Alexis was born. Left to mourn his passing are daughter, Joan A. Reed, of Mitchellville, Md.; goddaughter, Pamela Leonard, of Mitchellville, Md.; sisters, Margaret Reed, of New York City, and Neutrice M. Reed, of Toledo, Ohio; brothers, Grover Reed Jr., of Chicago, Ill., and Lloyd Reed, of Hollywood, Calif.; nephews, Roger L. Hamlet, of Cleveland, Ohio, Lawrence Simmons, of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Lawrence Reed Jr., of Richmond, Va.; nieces, Patricia Hayes, of Philadelphia, Pa., and Judy and Eileen Reed, of Atlanta, Ga.; sisters-in-law, Virginia McClow, of Oakland, Calif., Nannie Chinn, of Dayton, Ohio, and Vergie Reed, of Roanoke, Va.; along with a host of other relatives and friends. While living alone, John often expressed his appreciation for the dedication and friendship of his caregivers, Gene Edward Williams and Richard L. Chubb, who checked on him daily. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Roanoke Chapter of the Bluefield State College Alumni Association of which he was a life member. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 27, 2008, in the Hamlar-Curtis Chapel with Dr. Charles Calloway officiating. The family will receive friends 30 minutes prior to the service. Condolences may be sent to www.Hamlar-Curtis.com.