Jean was born on April 11, 1930, in Blossom (Lamar County), Texas to Arthur Doyle and Ruby Ellen Bennett Prater. She always told the story of her father and grandmother arguing about the day she was born. Her grandmother said she was born before the train blew its whistle at midnight, which meant she was born on the 10th. Her father said she was born after the train blew its whistle, which meant she was born on the 11th. We know who won that argument.
Jean was born during the Great Depression. She often said she did not realize things were hard because, between her parents and grandparents she was always loved and had everything she needed. She enjoyed telling her family interesting stories about growing up in Roxton, Texas. One of her favorite stories was how on Saturday night everyone would go to town to watch a movie that was shown on the side of a building. Her grandfather would give her a nickel to buy an ice cream cone at Thompson’s Pharmacy.
Jean married the love of her life, Louis, after World War II. After they were married they returned to Louis’s hometown of El Dorado to start life as a married couple. They subsequently enjoyed 70 years of marriage, during which they were blessed with four children. The Reed's were proud co-owners of Reed’s Wrecking Yard and Reed’s Home Rentals in El Dorado.
Jean and Louis were faithful and devoted charter members of Trinity Baptist Church. Later, when Trinity started Northwest Baptist Church, they went to help establish and grow this new church. Jean had many roles as a church member including teaching Sunday School, serving as church treasurer and playing the organ for many years.
Jean and Louis had a lifelong love of traveling and learning about other people and cultures which was passed along to their children and grandchildren. They visited all 50 states and many Canadian provinces. Summertime road trips were always a highlight for their children and grandchildren, especially the camping trips to Alaska. Jean and Louis also loved to travel internationally and visited many locations throughout Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. One very special trip was a trip to pass out Gideon Bibles in Russia immediately following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Jean loved the Lord, her family, friends, poetry, music, genealogy, reading, and entertaining. Even at 90 she could recite from memory many poems she learned as a child. She had a very giving and generous heart and was always willing to help anyone in need.
One of her favorite quotes was: “Give to the world the best you have, and the best will come back to you.” She always added, “I promise you, it works.”
Jean was preceded to heaven by her husband, her parents, daughter, Carol Ray, granddaughter, Aimee McIlveene, and brother, Glenn Prater.
She is survived by daughters, Rhea Ellen McIlveene (Danny), Emily Evers (Randy), and son, Tommy, five grandchildren, Tim McIlveene, Joe Ray, Clint Evers, Carrie Johnson, Nick Reed, and eight great-grandchildren, her sister, Rebecca Bachman (Bill), brother-in-law, Walter Reed (Kayo), as well as many very special nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend a very loving thank you to the wonderful caregivers God provided for Jean over the last years of her life: Marzelle Glaspie, Minnie Jackson, Charlene Minor, Melissa Hayes, Brenda Fulco, Alisha Sturgis, Tonette McDuffie, and Mary Ann Hart. We are eternally grateful for the faithful, thoughtful, kind and loving care these ladies provided during our mother’s time of need. In addition, the family thanks the staff of Lifetouch Hospice and South Arkansas Palliative Care.
Visitation will be on Friday, January, 7, 2022 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Young’s Funeral Home. The funeral services will be held Saturday, January 8, 2022 at 10 a.m. at Westside Baptist Church. Livestreaming of the service will be available on the Westside Baptist Church Facebook page.
Pallbearers will be her grandsons and nephews.
Memorials may be made to Aimee’s Heart (211 Chilton St. Monroe, LA 71203), a foundation in memory of her granddaughter that helps care for women and children in need in Nepal.
Condolences can be expressed at www.youngsfuneralhome.com for the Reed family.
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