Mary S. Reed

A Memorial Service and Burial for Mary S Reed, 88, Ypsilanti, Michigan, will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, August 5, 2022, at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas. Mary passed away on Wednesday, May 4, 2022.

Mary was born on February 21, 1934, in Topeka, Kansas, the daughter of Fredrick W and Helen Simpson.  She was a homemaker and attended Kansas State University, graduating from the University of Tulsa with a degree in Education.  She loved children and teaching was her passion in life, and she found her niche teaching remedial reading and math at the elementary and junior high level at Edinburg Community School for over 20 years.

She was very active in Girls Scouts, 4H, and extracurricular activities at the school for many years, as well as serving as president of the local teachers’ union.

She enjoyed visiting family in Kansas and Illinois, playing games, pitch, hand & foot, with everyone and the conversations.

She also loved gardening and had a small wholesale greenhouse for many years, as well as selling garden produce at the Farmer’s Market in Springfield, IL.  She appreciated the variety of flowers and colors, the visiting birds and butterflies.

She did a lot of canning and freezing of garden produce for the family, and made her own pickles, jams and jellies.  As a good cook she would throw in a batch of ketchup or summer sausage occasionally.

She was preceded in death by her first husband Samuel Griffin in 1965 and remarried in June of 1966 to John C Reed (deceased).

Survivors include her children, daughter Kate (Mark) Cross, Olympia, WA; daughter Karen (Lee) Griffin Fisher, and daughter Stephanie Reed; 3 grandchildren Stephanie (Sean) Tarasuk, Natalie (Zack) Miller, Andrea (Jason) Smith, and eight great-grandchildren, her sister Ruth (Andy) King, Manasas, VA, numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father Fredrick W Simpson, mother Helen Simpson and daughter Patty Griffin.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mary’s name to Planned Parenthood or to The Carter Center and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.

Please join us after the burial for a luncheon where you can share your memories with family and friends.