Martha Jean Meadows Reed (Tut), age 85, passed away peacefully on Saturday morning, November 4, 2017, in the home that she shared with her youngest daughter, Sarah, and son-in-law, Bob.  Tut grew up in Jackson, TN, the only child of Catherine (Society Page Editor for the Jackson Sun) and Paul (Manager with the Pepsi, Co.) Meadows.  She graduated from high school in 1949 and went on to study at Union University in Jackson, where she majored in Spanish (who knew?) and was honored as a Princess of the ATO fraternity. 
Before graduating, she met the love of her life, William Howard Reed (Bill), at a watermelon social hosted by her Sunday School teacher, who happened to be Bill’s aunt. She left school so that she could be closer to his location at the Naval Academy, and was proud of the fact that she landed a job working for the FBI. Bill and Tut married on June 10, 1952 in Annapolis, and Tut soon acclimated to a life of constant movement. For someone who never lived anywhere except Jackson, Tut loved to talk about how she had 32 different addresses over the course of Bill’s Navy career. Tut also loved to point out her love for her family and her powers of progeny:  She is survived by four children, Scott (Robin) Reed of Virginia Beach, VA, Leslie Reed (Janell Wolfe) of Fairfax, VA, Jeff Reed (Lee Gaugler) of Palm Harbor, FL,  Sarah (Bob) Baskin of Elverson, PA,  10 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. From the moment that her first grandson was born in 1977, she became known to everyone everywhere as Oma.
With her Southern charm and hospitality, Tut could make everyone feel instantly welcomed, and with her subtle wit and easy laugh, she could turn every gathering into a party. Over the years, she was a leader in the Naval Officer Wives Club; a much beloved hospital volunteer, both as a Gray Lady and Sunshine Girl; and a member of the Red Hat Club, where she was fondly known as the Mistress of Anxiety. Tut played the piano, and would thrill her family and friends with renditions of “Night and Day”. She loved to dance, especially with Bill, although anyone willing to bounce to “Proud Mary” would do. She was also an avid reader, worker of crossword puzzles, and watcher of TV crime shows.
But above all, Tut was a true and faithful worker for Christ. She cherished her Church family and community, found strength in God's word, and felt joy when sharing His teachings. She believed strongly in the power of forgiveness, and practiced daily acts of kindness.
To know Tut was to love Tut, whether you called her Tut, Martha Jean, Jeannie, Mom, or Oma, and she will be greatly missed by us all.
Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Community Free Evangelical Church Building Fund, PO Box 299, Elverson, PA, 19520-0299. 

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Sarah, I am praying for you and your family!

~ Marsha Dawson New Holland, PA
11/7/2017 3:29:36 PM

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