Obituaries

Benny C. Reed

Photo of Benny C. Reed
Benny C. Reed, 76, of Pine Bluff, Ark., passed away Saturday, June 8, 2013, at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. He was born May 15, 1937, in Pine Bluff, a son of the late Zedic H. and Hazel Ocile Heard Reed. He lived in Pine Bluff all his life except for a little over two years, when he lived in Stuttgart and Little Rock, while his father was in the Navy during World War II, where he lived with his mother and grandparents, Edar and Bulah Heard Massey. After his father returned from the Navy they moved back to Pine Bluff. He was a graduate of Pine Bluff High School, where he played the trumpet in the Pine Bluff High Band under the direction of R.B. "Scrubby" Watson. After high school he attended Arkansas Tech University until he decided to come home and get married to his high school sweetheart, Becky Ward Wynne. They married in 1957; together they had three sons, Charles Ward, David H. and Jon Michael Reed. Benny was a Baptist and attended Old Main Street Missionary Baptist Church, Olive Street Missionary Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Pine Bluff, where he served as a door greeter for many years. He was a retired member of the Arkansas National Guard attaining the rank of SFC-E7 with 21 years of service. He enjoyed working in youth baseball programs and had done so for over 30 years in Jr. Babe Ruth and American Legion Baseball. While coaching Jr. Babe Ruth, he took them to their first World Series in Brawley, Calif. in 1970. He and his wife, Becky loved to travel and work in their garden, they did so until his health would no longer allow it. Benny retired from the United States Postal Service with over 32 years of service, having started as a letter carrier, then as a delivery supervisor and retiring as a SPO/Customer Services. After his retirement, he took a part time position as an associate of Simmons First National Bank, serving there for over 20 years. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife, Becky Reed, of Pine Bluff; his three sons, Charles Ward Reed and Joanne, of Pine Bluff, David H. Reed and Karen, of Little Rock, and Jon Michael Reed and D.D., of White Hall; five grandchildren; brothers, David R. Reed, of Pine Bluff and Zedic H. Reed Jr., of Wright. Funeral will be 2 p.m., Monday, June 10, 2013 at First Baptist Church, Pine Bluff, with Reverend Kenneth Thornton officiating. Burial will follow in Graceland Cemetery by Ralph Robinson and Son Funeral Directors. The family will receive friends Sunday 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Robinson's. Friends may sign the online register at www.ralphrobinsonandson.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, 6501 South Hazel Street, Pine Bluff, Ark. 71603.

Published June 9, 2013

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