Obituary of John Francis Reed

John Francis Reed, age 94, died Monday, February 27, 2017 at home in Annapolis, MD. Mr. Reed was born August 22, 1922 in Paterson, NJ the son of the late William and the late Jennie (Cole) Reed. He was one of thirteen children and lived in Wayne before moving to Toms River in 1978. Mr. Reed joined the Army in 1943 during WWII. He was transferred to the Army Air Corp and became a waist gunner in a B-17. Shot down on his second mission, October 11, 1944, he became a POW in Germany. He was liberated on April 26, 1945 and received a purple heart for injuries he received on that mission. On June 11, 1949 he married the love of his life, the late Ruth Clara Simpson. Together they had five children. He was retired from the Motor Vehicle Commission in Freehold, NJ in 1985 where he was a supervisor for 20 years. Mr. Reed was a member of VFW in Toms River. Mr. Reed is survived by his beloved children, David Francis and his wife Donna, Susan Ruth and her husband John Schulte, William John and his wife Christine, Steven Michael and his wife Janie, and daughter-in-law, Constance Reed; fourteen devoted grandchildren; fifteen cherished great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife, Ruth (Simpson) Reed, his son, John Richard and all of his siblings. Visiting hours will be Friday, March 3, 2017 from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. Relatives and friends are welcome to attend the funeral on Saturday at 11:00 am at the funeral home. Cremation will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Mr. Reed's name be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake, 90 Ritchie Highway, John & Cathy Belcher Campus, Pasadena, MD 21122.