Vincent Joseph Reade

Vincent Joseph Patrick Reade III, 82, known as Vince to most and Beastie to some, died August 15 in New Orleans. Born in Boston, MA to Vincent II and Kathryn Marie, he considered himself a rebel and held 'affable reprobate' as the greatest compliment received, though his work ethic and kind heart told another story.

He was a member of the first graduating class at Sacred Heart University, where he studied Political Science and was one of the three founding editors of the school newspaper, the Obelisk. He went on to the New School in New York for his Masters in Political Science and later received his MBA in Finance from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

After several false starts of almost matrimony, he met the love of his life, Alice Elizabeth Reade in Brooklyn in 1968. They married less than a year later and embarked on a 53 year marriage. A lifelong believer that the best way to end poverty is to enable people to work for their own betterment, Vincent's original plan for his adult life was to work in economic development in the developing world, specifically in Africa. However, the surprise birth of his first child, Christopher, changed that plan, and he instead worked in economic development in the United States, both in the Department of Commerce, and then in New York State Government, where he was Mario Coumo's deputy secretary for Economic Development.

After leaving Government in 1979 he and Betsy moved to Hartford, Connecticut where he worked for the region's economic development agency, CROG. In Hartford he and Betsy welcomed their second child, Thomas. Following his wife's increasingly successful insurance career, he moved into Mortgage Banking in Northern Virginia. Continuing his focus on combating poverty by helping people improve their own lives, he thrived in that industry by leaning into his belief that expanding access to home ownership was one of the best ways to create wealth and help build communities.

Vincent and Betsy lived in Virginia, New York, Connecticut, Arizona and finally landed in Louisiana, to be closer to their children and granddaughter. In addition to his family, Vincent's other great love was dogs, in particular collies. Dana and Ginger, then Ginger II, then Princess Fancy Ginger were his constant companions until his last years.

Vincent enjoyed long walks, philosophy, The Wolfe Tones, Bond movies and being scolded by the women in his family. He served on the Parish Council of St. Francis of Assissi in New Orleans and was a regular attendee at the Chapel of St. Ignatius. He was also a member of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps. He was always affable, though never truly a reprobate, to his disappointment.

He is survived by his two sons Christopher (Kendra) Reade and Thomas Reade and his granddaughter Fiona Alice Reade. He is predeceased by his younger siblings Robert and Kathleen, and his wife of almost 53 years, Betsy Reade, whom he desperately missed in the time they were separated.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on October 18th at 11am at Saint Ann's Church at 5300

North 10th Street Arlington, VA.

Interment will be in Saratoga Springs, NY in the family plot shortly thereafter.

Those who wish to celebrate Vincent are asked to pet a dog, sneak a treat to a dog, eat butterscotch pudding and jaywalk. Contributions to your local SPCA or Pet Shelter are also encouraged.