Iris Stith Reed

Mrs. Iris Stith Reed, 93, of Arbor Acres Retirement Community in Winston-Salem died in her sleep on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2005. Mrs. Reed was born Aug. 26, 1911, in Winston-Salem, the first child of Frank Alva Stith and Viola Doub Stith. Mrs. Reed was preceded in death by her devoted, beloved husband, Harry Louis Reed, who died in 1979; her brother, Frank A. Stith Jr.; her sister, Mary Stith Childs; and Mary's husband, Jack H. Childs. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Lucy Vaughn Stith of Winston-Salem; seven nieces and nephews, Jack Stith Childs and wife, Anne, of Raleigh, R. Michael Childs and wife, Pamela, of Charlotte, Frank A. Stith III and wife, Mary Elizabeth, of Greensboro, Joellen Stith Parks and husband, Hubert, of Kernersville, Ferne Stith Dickey and husband, Bill, of McKinney Texas, Christine Stith Black and husband, John, of Greensboro and David Michael Stith and wife, Karolyn, of Winston-Salem; and several great- and great-great-nieces and nephews. After her graduation from Reynolds High School and the Women's College of the University of North Carolina, now UNC-Greensboro, Mrs. Reed taught music in the public schools of Winston-Salem. During World War II, she worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, D.C., and from 1944 to 1946 was an officer in the American Red Cross. During her service with the Red Cross, Iris was assigned to the Welch Army Convalescence Hospital in Daytona Beach, Fla., where she met her future husband, Harry, who was the finance officer for the installation and shared her interests in music and playing the piano. After their respective discharges, Iris and Harry were married on Oct. 12, 1946 and lived thereafter in Harrisburg, Ill., and Daytona Beach. They moved to Winston-Salem in the early 1950s when Harry became treasurer and chief financial officer for Frank A. Stith Co. of Winston-Salem. Music was a key ingredient of the Reeds' life together. Both Harry and Iris were accomplished pianists and often entertained friends, family, groups and others with single-keyboard duets, with Harry generally playing the treble keys and Iris the bass. "Tea for Two" and "Silver Bells" were standards for them. The Reeds were members of the Centenary Methodist Church Chancel Choir until Mr. Reed's death, and Iris continued in the choir for a number of years thereafter. Mrs. Reed was a disciple of Jesus Christ and, as such, an active member of Centenary Methodist Church, where, among many other things, she served as accompanist for the children's choirs. She was also pianist for the Winston-Salem Little Symphony and a member of P.E.O. After several years of renting a room in her home to law students at Wake Forest University, Mrs. Reed moved to a duplex in Arbor Acres in 1989. During her lifetime, Mrs. Reed led a life of sharing, maintaining close relationships with the many friends she had met in various places over the years and with her neighbors on Oaklawn Avenue and serving as a catalyst and encourager for her extended family, including, in particular, her nieces and nephews and their spouses and children. She will be sorely missed. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. today, Jan. 13, at Voglers Main Street Chapel. She will lie in state today at the funeral home. After her burial at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 14, in Salem Cemetery alongside her husband and parents, a memorial service for Iris Reed will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in the sanctuary of Centenary Methodist Church, 646 Fifth St., Winston-Salem, with the Rev. Dr. Jack Yarborough and the Rev. Dr. Frank Stith III officiating. The family will receive friends at the church after the service. Memorials may be made to Centenary Methodist Church, P.O. Box 658, Winston-Salem, NC 27102, for the Sacred Music Fund or Arbor Acres Retirement Community, 1240 Arbor Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27104. The family wishes to thank the good folks at Arbor Acres for their Christian loving care of and attention to Iris for many years.