Phyllis Reed Ford

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Phyllis Reed Ford, daughter of the late Donald and Esther Rose Reed, went home to her Heavenly Father on August 19, 2018. A memorial service will be held at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, 712 Wappoo Road, Charleston, SC 29407, on Saturday, September 29 at 11 a.m. A celebration of her life will follow the service at the Norvells' house, 1303 Pembrooke Drive, Charleston, SC 20407.

Born on July 23, 1941 in Champaign County, Ohio, Phyllis graduated from Urbana High School in 1959. She continued her studies at Ohio State University, earning her degree in education and home economics, and was a passionate lifelong Buckeyes fan.

Always interested in the education of young children, Phyllis taught kindergarten for a time in Ohio before moving to Anderson, SC to teach first grade. She continued teaching while writing a grant to set up a cutting edge public preschool center, the first of its kind in SC. Success of her program in Anderson led to the SC Department of Education hiring Phyllis to set up similar early childhood centers around the state. After many years of traveling around SC, Phyllis was hired by Charleston County in 1987 as the head of the early childhood department. Phyllis loved her job and took it very seriously. She was an active member and officer of several professional organizations dedicated to early childhood education and literacy. Working long hours and weekends, and usually the last to leave for the day, for decades Phyllis was totally committed to creating the best early childhood program in the state.

A lifelong love of music led Phyllis to be extremely involved with her choir at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, especially following her 2009 retirement. In addition to music and early childhood education, Phyllis had a passion for animals. She had several cats and dogs, most of which she rescued, as companions throughout her lifetime. Renowned among her friends for her excellent baking skills, Phyllis loved to cook, travel and attend the theatre and musical performances. She was always a champion for the underdog (people and animals) and was an exceptionally generous woman.

In addition to her parents, Phyllis was predeceased by her beloved older sister Muriel Ann Reed. She is survived by two goddaughters, a few cousins, many dear friends and generations of teachers with whom she shared her expertise in early childhood education touching thousands of young lives in the Charleston area and SC.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pet Helpers, the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church choir, and The Muriel Ann Reed Faulkner Scholarship Fund at The Columbus Foundation, which awards a scholarship to a Champaign County high senior through The Columbus Foundation.