Life Story
William Reed was born February 23, 1929, in Macon Georgia.
William grew up in Savannah, Georgia, where he attended public schools. When he was young, William and his mother moved to Miami, Florida, where his mother worked for two years. They then returned to Savannah, Georgia.
William got a job at a local supermarket in Savannah, and during that time he met Rosemary Young. One year later, they had they first child, Barbara Reed. Shortly thereafter, William was drafted in the United States Army. After he was honorably discharged, he decided to continue his education and went back to school to get his high school diploma. William left Savannah, Georgia, and headed north to work with his aunt. He traveled back home by train on the weekends to Savannah Ga. to help out his family financially.
Later on in his life, William met Joeretha Smith and her two children, Essie and Jackie. Shortly after, they were blessed with two children additonal children, Janice and Reginald "Reggie" Reed. William continued working in New Jersey and going home on the weekends. William eventually married Joeretha and adopted her two children. In 1963, William was able to move his family to New Jersey. William worked several jobs as a cook. He went to vocational school at night to earn his certification in electronics and maintenance. His ingenuity in electronics, enabled him to fix televisions, record players, radios, etc. William was known to drive around in his car looking for televisions that people threw away. He would take them back home and repair them like new.
William was also skilled at fixing cars, this was his passion. He would work on cars all day until they were fixed. He also worked at Overbrook Hospital in Cedar Grove New Jersey, in the maintenance department. William advanced and became a Forman in the Housekeeping Department. In 1991, William retired at the age of 62, but continued working. He managed and oversaw a local laundromat in Montclair, New Jersey, where he lived. William loved to help his family and friends by transporting them to their doctor appointments, the grocery store, place of employment, airport, and various other places. In his spare time, he loved to cook which was a trade he learned while serving in the Army. He was the head chef of his entire platoon while stationed at Fort Drum in New York. He was famous for his fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, bread pudding, and peach cobbler.
William was preceded in death with his wife, Joeretha Reed; mother, Pearlee Mae Drummer; brother, Frank Reed; children, Essie Reed, Jacqueline "Jackie" Reed and Reginald "Reggie" Reed.
William leaves to cherish his memory: two daughters, Barbara Lowe (Jeff), Janice Hogan (Earl); one sister-in-law, Beverly Davis; one brother-in-law, Calvin Davis, Jr., both from Savannah, Georgia; nine grandchildren, Jerry Eddington, Jr., Cassandra Eddington, Ali Eddington, Al-nisa Reed, Douglas Reed (Fahmin), Ibn "Rah-Rah" Reed, Corey Reed, Quinton Hogan, and Dimetra "Demi" Hogan; nineteen great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; host of nieces and nephews, and other family members.
Memorable Moments
