Thomas Colburn Reed, 88, passed away surrounded by loving family members on Wednesday, October 23, 2013, at Centennial Park Retirement Village in North Platte, NE.
Tom was born May 13, 1925, to Chautauqua Pearl and Catherine Marie Peterson Reed in Moorhead MN. He grew up in East Grand Forks, Fairmont and Albert Lea, MN. During high school, Tom was a multi-sport athlete and later played football at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. He was a proud veteran of World War II serving with the Army Air Corps in the South Pacific from 1943 to 1945.
On July 2, 1947, Tom married his longtime sweetheart, Joyce Byers, in Fairmont, MN before moving to Des Moines, IA where he earned his Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) degree from Des Moines Still College of Osteopathy and Surgery. Tom and Joyce then moved to Tulsa, OK where he worked as a general practitioner for his entire career. He served as the youngest president of the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association and was an active member of the Boston Avenue Methodist Church in Tulsa.
Together with their three children, Tom and Joyce enjoyed annual camping vacations throughout the U.S., always highlighted by a week at Little Pine Lake in Minnesota. As a family, they also enjoyed raising and showing Palomino Quarter Horses.
Tom and Joyce led a healthy and active lifestyle during their 25 years of retirement. They lived in Naples, FL, where they played tennis, fished and followed local sports teams. They loved to travel and visit their children and other family members, including Tom’s Norwegian relatives. Tom will be remembered for his love and propagation of exotic plants, especially orchids, and for his magnetic personality and smile.
Two years ago Tom moved to North Platte to live with his son, Chuck, and his family.
Tom was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce; his parents, Chautauqua Pearl and Catherine Reed; and brothers, Chuck and Bobby Don.
He is survived by his daughters, Barbara (Bill) Read, of Minneapolis, MN and Elizabeth (Bob) Carroll, of Pollock Pines, CA; a son, Charles (Marla) Reed, of North Platte; seven grandchildren, Bryan (Brandi) Reed, Bridgett (Nate) Searls, Kristan (Josh) Strosnider, Lindsay Read, Jordan (Emily) Read, Todd Carroll and Margaret Carroll, seven great-grandchildren; Alex, Rebecca, Ethan, Bryan Charles, Makayla, Hailey and June Kathryn; a sister-in-law, Phyllis Reed, of Pasadena, CA; and other family.
Inurnment will be at a later dated in Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN with military honors. Condolences may be shared at odeanchapel.com. Memorials are suggested to the College of Osteopathic Medicine in Des Moines, IA for their scholarship fund. Odean Colonial Chapel At C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.