Jay Arthur Reed

Jay Arthur Reed February 11, 1960 - April 1, 2023 Chisago City , MN - Jay Arthur Reed, 63, raised in Waunakee, WI, more recently living in Chisago City, Minnesota, passed away on April 1, 2023 of heart complications due to cancer.

Jay was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, on February 11, 1960 as the youngest child of Jack Arthur Reed (89) and Elizabeth Reed (nee Coates) (89) of Waunakee, WI. He attended Waunakee schools and graduated in 1978 before attending the University of Eau Claire and graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration in 1982.

It was in Eau Claire that he met the love of his life, Lauri Reed (nee Smith). They were married in 1984 and had three children: twin girls and a boy. While Jay would often refer to them as the "Reed Family Circus" because of their inability to get everyone out the door for school, vacations, or appointments without chaos erupting, his now adult children look back on those times with nothing but fondness and laughter.

Jay was the hardest worker everyone knew, often working ten hours or more a day. However, he never let that stop him from being at every one of his children's basketball games, dance recitals or cheer competitions. He coached his two girls' (very terrible) basketball team. He got his son golf lessons, played Mario on Nintendo 64 with all the kids, sat in the audience for every choir and band performance, every school play, and every spelling bee. He remembered every anniversary and birthday. And although he would need his daughters to help him buy Christmas presents every year, he always put thought into what gifts his wife would love the absolute most and make sure it was wrapped from him under the tree.

He enjoyed so many things in his free time including golf, old Seinfeld reruns, peanut butter whiskey, crossword puzzles and watching the Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers (even though he had to be reminded more than once in his lifetime that it was just a game). He loved exploring new places with his wife and just visiting with his family.

He was surrounded by his loving wife of nearly 40 years and his children when he passed away from a heart condition caused by the cancer he had just beaten. The family would like to thank everyone at the University of Minnesota Fairview for everything they did to try to save their loved one's life.

He is survived by his wife, Lauri, his three children; Kirsten Marie Short (Andrew), Kourtney Elizabeth Frick (Ryan), Joshua Arthur Reed (Kylie), his four grandchildren; Charlie, Jackson, Flynn and Quinn, his parents, Jack Reed and Betty Reed, his sister Deb Neuman (Jim) and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Jay had so much more life to live, and it wasn't fair that he was taken from us so soon. He was the best dad to his children, the best Papa to his four grandchildren, the best son to his parents, the best brother to his sister, and best friend to his many friends but more than that, the best husband to Lauri. He will never be forgotten.

Services will be at the First Presbyterian Church in Waunakee, Wisconsin on Saturday, April 22. Visitation will begin at 9:30am with a Celebration of life starting at 11:00 am.

The family kindly requests no flowers. In lieu, please make donations to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.