The Honorable Lowell A Reed Jr.

The Honorable Lowell A. Reed Jr., Federal Judge and longtime resident of Abington, died Saturday, April 11, 2020, at Rydal Park Medical Center. He was 89.

He was the beloved husband of Diane Benson Reed for 66 years. Born in West Chester, Pa., the Judge grew up in Kenosha, Wis. where he attended a one-room school until eighth grade and graduated from Bradford High School. He earned a B.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin and was drafted, joining the U.S. Navy. While at Naval Intelligence School in Washington, D.C., he met his wife, Diane, on a blind date. They were married two months later and spent two years stationed in the Philippines. Reed retired from the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant Commander in 1957.

Judge Reed graduated from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 1958. He joined the law firm of Rawle & Henderson where he distinguished himself for almost 25 years as a trial lawyer and lecturer eventually becoming a senior partner. In 1987, Reed was appointed to the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by President Ronald Reagan. The Judge issued over one thousand Federal Court opinions, handling a variety of complex trials and presiding over naturalization ceremonies granting citizenship to hundreds of people. Of the numerous awards and honors that he received, his most prized was the A. Sherman Christensen Award presented at the United States Supreme Court for "those who had provided distinguished, exceptional leadership for the American Inn of Court movement." He was the co-founder and first president of the first Inn of Court in Pennsylvania, the Temple American Inn of Court. His law clerks, secretaries, colleagues, and the many people who knew him through the years attest to his commitment to the law, his civility, and his kindness. He was an enthusiastic and compassionate mentor and friend. He remained active on the bench until 2011, when he regretfully became inactive due to Parkinson's Disease.

A proud citizen of Abington, the Judge was a long-standing member of Abington Presbyterian Church where he was a trustee and elder, also president of the Rydal-Meadowbrook Civic Association, trustee of the Abington Memorial Hospital Foundation, and served on the Abington School Board. Judge Reed appreciated music, loved sailing, history, and family summers in Maine. He was devoted to his wife, their four children, spouses, 13 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Parkinson's Foundation, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Temple University Beasley School of Law.

Helweg & Rowland Funeral Home,

Abington

www.helwegrowlandfh.com