Jean Reeder (January 14, 1929 – January 13, 2021)

Jean, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly this past Wednesday afternoon. Thursday, the 14th was her birthday, born in 1929. She is survived by her three children, Richard, Robert and Allisan, four grandchildren, Abigail, Ethan, Isabella and Curran as well as two great-grandchildren, Liam and Claire.

From Francis:

Jean was a real contributor to the Fellowship! Many became members as a result of her introducing them to us (notably Angela Jones and Chris Van Cleave). And was a huge supporter of Chris and Paul’s “The Davidson Affair” which she always wanted to see on Broadway in in NYC!

Her creative mind and script writings delighted us at Family Gatherings in the mountains of western Virginia and at our well-attended FFG at Hothrop Hall in 1985 (see group pic below). Her musical play “Carealot”, co-created with Chris, and probably others, was performed for all of the attendees, in costume! And with song parodies from the original Camelot. She made friends with some of the British over there (yes, YOU, John Moir!) and kept in touch with several, for years, even when they came HERE for one of the gatherings, when Paul and Sharon were married!

For Sounds of Joy she wrote a take-off on “Twas the Night Before Christmas”, and I recently came across a witty and thorough report on our trip to England.

As our sweet friend she was founding Publicity and Booking Agent for Sounds of Joy. She and I, along with Cheryl Bernath and Chris Van Cleave, kept up a frequent correspondence with her, knowing that her sensory faculties of sight and hearing, as well as needing to use a walker, were limited to only being in contact with the outer world through her iPad. Other SOJ members kept in contact with her too and she cherished every email!

She was an original member, under Ruth Ann Millikin, of Joyful Noise, founded in about 1992, and was the one who told me about the group and the great people who were already a part of it — or soon would be, which includes even some of our present members (Ben & Cher, Sarah A., JoNell and Joan, Steve H, and myself). Others still in our chorus knew her for a number of years as they joined us before she “retired.”

When Joyful Noise became SOJ in January of 1999, she hosted all of our formative and constitution-writing meetings and was PR/booking officer for years, continually promoting us even when “off duty”! We were always on her mind; she carried our brochures in her purse and a business card with her contact information. We had some of our most notable early gigs as a result of her constant vigilance looking out for us; a firm believer in the spirit that we embodied and shared with our audiences.

As a side note, she helped me personally, immensely, when I first moved to VB in ’82, helping me get a job interview as a substitute for an art instructor at TCC during his sabbatical.

Her death came just a day ahead of her own birthday and on mine (we always celebrated together). Her daughter was soon to be accompanying her back home to Virginia Beach from Washington State where she had been living in a facility very much like Westminster Canterbury for a number of years to live with her son Rick.

Cheryl Bernath had exchanged emails with her the day before she left and she knew that it was a huge transition and a rough trip for her to come back here and that she was aware that she’d be very tired when she got here. And she wasn’t sure how it was going to work out to be taken care of, but her son, Rick, and Cheryl were in the process of seeking out some nursing help.

As Cheryl put it: “Jean was really my closest friend when she lived here and I never felt any difference in our age at all. Perennially young at heart and a beautiful, kind Spirit. I know she’s on the other side, just beaming… hugging all those of us who’ve gone before and hearing perfectly! I’ve already asked her that (after she rests up, of course) she might be able to pull a few strings for those of us on this side because we sure could use some help here right now! I’m sure she heard me. And I’m sure she’d want to hug each of you personally. Watch for her in dreamtime…”

The picture at top shows her always radiant, beautiful face! She’d grown up in the Harrisburg PA. and Norfolk VA. areas. She attended many Broadway shows while a young girl and woman while also living in New York. She loved them! And talked of them sometimes… We featured her as Dolly in a Broadway medley that we used to sing. In her best “Dolly” finery… a feather boa and large showy hat, she make her entrance and go over to the audience to say “Hello”! (After our shows, she was ALWAYS one to go speak with people at our shows, esp the infirm.)

As a young woman she was very athletic and continued being physically active until her legs started giving her trouble.

In the picture here, when SOJ was on a 2-week trip to Hawaii, in 2002 (I think it was) and were on a cruise that took us into the SOUTH PACIFIC (a favorite show of hers) to this small atoll — Fanning island. While most of us were exploring the island, being entertained by the natives performing local dances and songs for us, as we had a sumptuous picnic and swam in the incredibly beautiful water of the lagoon inside the reef. But she spent the afternoon taking absolute delight simply sitting all afternoon with these kids, while their parents were selling seashell necklaces, bracelets and other crafts nearby. That was Jean in a nutshell! (Note the shell necklace and ankle bracelet, here.)

I have to add that Jean was a very kind, thoughtful, spiritual person and probably more than anyone else I know, she “walked her talk”, even keeping a positive attitude when the macular degeneration shot in her recent eye actually caused vision LOSS instead of it’s intended purpose. She also did her best to deal with severe hearing loss and had none in one ear. Her contact with the outer world was through her iPad and her friends, which she met on the internet.

BTW, she was Edgar Cayce’s son’s secretary for some years at A.R.E. (Hugh Lynn). And she loved being involved with the Cayce readings, where she was also introduced to those of a lady named Louise Morse that she made a trip to Kansas City to meet.

Allisan contacted me using Jean’s email address — jcmusicgal@gmail.com (…note her email name!) Those of you who might like, can drop Allisan Cohen and Rick Reeder (tofilmset@verizon.net) email notes… I don’t know of any memorial arrangements, or how to visit the funeral home that my handle those arrangements.

So planet earth lost a dear soul, but I know that our loss was “the other side’s” gain and she is surely enjoying not having the onerous deprivations she tolerated so long!

Jean, you were always asking about your friends back here in VB in the Fellowship and SOJ, by name… Please feel free to visit us whenever you can manage!… in dreams or whatever means are available to you…

Francis