Mary Jo "Jody" Reed

Jody grew up in Omaha, with parents Wilbur and Marguerite Shainholtz and brother Bill. She enjoyed singing, dancing, and performing in theater. Each summer she enjoyed riding horses at Camp Chief Ouray, in Colorado, assisting her mother who acted as camp nurse. She also helped at her father’s pharmacy, Shainholtz Drugs and modeled at Miller & Paine Department Store in Lincoln. While attending Central High School, Jody participated in choir, French Club, Y-Teens, and student government.

After graduation, Jody attended Colorado Women’s College, in Denver, where she was active in theater, student government, Delta Tau Kappa, and Delta Psi Omega. She received the Service Award and was one of five finalists in the May Queen Competition. After receiving her associates degree, Jody was off to the University of Nebraska, where she became an avid Cornhusker fan! Jody was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and was the Ivy Day Song Director. Jody graduated with a BA in Speech Therapy.

While at Nebraska, she met and married Bob Folk. They lived in several cities, including Grand Junction, Milwaukee, and Indianapolis, where daughter Mary (Zibby) was born. They then settled in Lincoln, Nebraska and adopted son Bill. Jody worked as a speech therapist and volunteered for the Junior League.

The family moved to Littleton, Colorado, and then to Houston and Richmond, Texas. Jody was active in the church choir, and community theater. She enjoyed volunteering at school, leading a Brownies troop, sewing clothes and costumes, and attending her children’s events. Jody taught kindergarten at Calvary Church School in Richmond, Texas.

After settling In Phoenix in 1973, Jody worked as sales associate, then manager and buyer, at Mills- Touche for Ladies. She then met her second husband, Homer Reed. Jody and Homer moved to Denver, where they worked together, at his store, Homer Reed Ltd. Eventually, they moved back to Phoenix, where they enjoyed golfing and traveling. Jody and Homer visited numerous destinations, including Alaska, Hawaii, Ireland, France, Germany, and Australia. In each place they traveled, they always made special friends. In 2011, they retired at Sagewood Retirement Community, where Jody sang with the Sagewood Singers.

Jody is survived by daughter Mary “Zibby” Schuett (Trace), son Bill Folk (Lynn), stepson, Mark Reed (Kim), grandchildren Elizabeth Barr, Robbie Folk, Casey Folk, Amy Sutherland, Allison Morton, and Annie Reed; 17 great-grandchildren: Joshua, Jason, Brendon, Rosalie, Poppy, Lucy, Adeline, Eloise, Brock, Hailey, Cade, Katherine, David, Jaclyn, Jace, Joshua and Anna; cousin Mary Koch, nephews, Jeff Shainholtz and Brian Folk, and nieces Susan Christman, Sara Shainholtz, and Susan Kay.

Jody is preceded in death by husband, Homer Reed, companion, Chet Rice, granddaughter Emily Montoya, brother, Dr. William Shainholtz, niece Sydney Shainholtz, and son-in-law Pete Montoya, Jr.

Jody was a friend to all who met her. She had an amazing, positive attitude towards life, and was such a wonderful influence to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She will be missed so much and will remain a shining beacon of hope to all those that she touched.

Donations may be made to Wounded Warriors or Tunnels to Towers Foundation. Links are provided below in the 'Donations' section for your convenience.