Reverend Donald Ray Reed

Donald Ray Reed was born August 15, 1934 to Harry Benjamin Reed and Josie Ellen Reed in Coffeyville, Kansas. The family would later move to Redding, California. The seventh of thirteen children, Don had nine brothers and four sisters. The siblings worked and played hard together, sometimes forming entire sports teams as a family unit. Because of this early start, Don would love sports his entire life, especially baseball, boxing and golf.

Growing up in a large family, life could be chaotic. When he was nine, Don’s 16-year-old brother had an accident in a mine shaft and died from complications of his injury. The brothers were very close. This moment had a profound impact on him. Don graduated from Shasta Union High School in 1953. After graduation, Don immediately joined the military where he was sent to the Korean conflict as an Army sergeant. Just a teenager, Don served as a mechanic by day and a watchman on guard at night, a role he found particularly frightening. Don’s experiences during the Korean conflict would forever influence him.

On leave from the military, Don found respite from the horrors of war when he met the love of his life, Connie Lucille McKinney while attending a church service. After finishing his tour of duty in 1956, the couple were married in Redding, California, where they started a family. Don and Connie had three beautiful daughters, Donna, Dee and Kathy.

In 1959, the family moved to Petaluma, California where Don worked as a skilled carpenter. He and Connie purchased land with two other couples and he built the family home. The little community of three families grew close and together they joined a new church plant named Petaluma Church of the Nazarene. The families would remain close friends his entire life. While helping to build the church community, Don felt a certain call to full-time ministry. In 1969, they moved to Colorado Springs where they both enrolled in Nazarene Bible College, he to become a pastor, her to study art and speech. Upon completion of his degree in 1972 they moved to Goshen, Arkansas where he became the pastor of Goshen Church of the Nazarene. He would later faithfully lead and serve churches in Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, taking joy in building and remodeling projects at every church. In the early 90’s, Don traveled to Brazil to build churches and form relationships with Nazarene pastors on a global level. This mission project was especially impactful to Don and he returned to receive a letter of accommodation from the Nazarene General Superintendent for his work there.

He retired in 1999 from ministry after 27 years of service. Back in Louisiana, he worked in a print shop, then later in his own carpentry business. In 2005, after Connie retired from teaching, the couple moved to Norman, Oklahoma to be closer to their family and grandchildren. He enjoyed his retirement, making every effort to be present in the lives of his daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved helping with carpentry projects and providing spiritual guidance to his community, leaving a mark on everyone he came into contact with. In 2016, he would travel with family to the Korean Memorial in Washington, D.C., a moment that helped to bring closure and peace.

Don had a trademark smile, an engaging personality and a distinct sense of humor. His great-grandchildren lovingly called him ‘Who-Hoo’ because of his signature playful call when he would enter a room. He was fiercely loyal to God, and country and was especially proud when his grandson Lane enlisted in the Air Force. He was a patriot to the end, even going to vote in a local election the day before he died. However, family was his greatest pleasure of all. Connie was the light of his life, his source of strength and his best friend. When he realized he wasn’t going to survive Valentine’s Day he asked his granddaughter to purchase a box of chocolates and deliver it to Connie. Don passed away peacefully on February 13, 2020 tightly encircled by his wife, daughters and sons-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Don was preceded in death by parents Harry Benjamin Reed and Josie Ellen Miller Reed, brothers Dan Reed, Bob Reed, Jack Reed, Billy Reed, Tommy Reed, Dean Reed and sister Thelma Stephens.

Don is survived by wife Connie Reed, siblings Ben Reed, Glenn Reed, Jane Williams, Rose Worley and Mae Warner, children Donna (Robert) McArthur, Rev. Dee (Rickey) Boyt, Kathy (Roger) Martin, nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

The Celebration of Life service will be held 10:00 am, February 29 at Norman Community Church of the Nazarene, 1801 N. Porter Ave, in Norman, Oklahoma. Memorial services are provided by Primrose Funeral Service of Norman. Honorary pallbearers will be sons-in-law Robert McArthur, M.D., Rickey Boyt, and Roger Martin, SPC; grandsons Lane Boyt, SSG, Austin Martin, and Matthew Martin; grandsons-in-law Jimmie D. Weaver, PhD, Craig White, M.D., Teddy Wilson, Lt., Chris Vazquez and Chase Spencer.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Norman Community Church of the Nazarene Building Fund.

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