Ruby Pearl "Phillips" Reeder

Ruby Pearl (Phillips) Reeder, age 91, of Penrose, Colorado, passed away peacefully on February 6, 2026, in St. Francis Woodmen hospital, surrounded by loved ones.

Pearl was born on December 10, 1934, in Pueblo, Colorado, to David & Opal (Sutton) Phillips. Pearl was known for being quite crafty & creative, plain spoken, and for her love of giving to others, but especially to her family. While growing up, she had a couple of nicknames. First was "Bootsie" as her dad dubbed her, because of a beloved pair of boots she really liked to wear. That nickname morphed into "Tootsie" because she liked the Tootsie Rolls that her dad brought home sometimes. Her siblings and other family members still refer to her as "Tootsie" today. She attended schools in Pueblo, Wetmore, and graduated from Florence High School in 1952. After high school, Pearl worked at a local dime store, Kresses, in Pueblo for a time. In 1955 she and an Oklahoma boy, Walter Reeder, met on a blind, double date. Pearl was supposed to go with the "other guy" but, thankfully, ended up with Walt! They courted for one week after that date before Walt had to leave the state for work. The lovebirds corresponded back and forth by mail and there were short visits until Walt could return to Colorado for them to be married two months after their first date, on his 20th birthday. They moved to Oklahoma afterward.

Pearl was a great homemaker and had four children all while volunteering at church to teach, Sunday School, Children's Church, and Missionettes, a girl's club with a biblical focus. She learned to do many crafts and sewed much of the wardrobe for the kids. In the early 1980's she began working in their own storm window shop assembling the windows. She also made plaster painted picture frames and sold them at craft fairs, and the Flea Market. Pearl loved traditional photography and, in the late 1980's, bought an antique camera with which to learn how to take old time photos. Pearl, Walt, and some of the family shortly joined forces to grow their new business, Stagecoach Olde Tyme Photos. Working constantly together for around 35 years, Walt and Pearl employed many friends and family members in the business, going to state fairs, music festivals, and various other special events.

Beyond Pearl's professional and hobby life, she was passionate about serving and loving Jesus, her very large family, gardening, canning, candy making, and even went on three ocean cruises and other vacations with the family.

Pearl is survived by her brother Ernie Kramer, sister Phyllis Gilkison, sister Cathy Kerrigan, daughter Ruth Ann Hagan, son David (Terre) Reeder, daughter Phyllis (Jesús) Ibarra, son Ron (Sherryl) Reeder, son-in-law Pat Hagan, 16 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and four great, great-grandchildren all whom she doted upon.

Pearl was preceded in death by husband, Walter Reeder, her parents David Phillips and Opal Parlapiano, step-father Carl Parlapiano, her brother Carl Parlapiano, brother-in-law Dennis Kerrigan, sister-in-law Lacricia Kramer, sister-in-law Ruth Heddlesten and, brother-in-law Elmer Reeder.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday, February 20, 2026, 11:00 a.m. at the Steeple Event & Conference Center, 701 Macon Ave., Cañon City, CO 81212.