Van Jay Reed

Van Jay Reed

Age 79, passed from this world Thursday, May 22nd at Willard Walker Hospice Home in Fayetteville Arkansas. He was the 3rd child born to Hazel Cora (Brown) Reed and Harold Leon Reed on August 14th, 1945 in Borger Texas.

Shortly after he was born the family of 5 loaded up and headed to Arkansas where they eventually landed in Clyde and added a younger brother to make their family complete. As a young boy he attended school in Morrow and Cane Hill, then on to Lincoln once they all consolidated.

After high school he joined the Army National Guard and went on to work in the automotive industry for the majority of his life, including Montgomery Ward as well as a few other places and finally retiring in 2012 from Auto Zone after 20 dedicated years of service.

Van was a very generous man. He regularly helped his family, friends and neighbors with whatever was needed, a temporary place to stay, money or a ride. He enjoyed fishing, going to yard sales and auctions and family genealogy, but his real calling was tinkering on small engines and was known by many as “Reed Brothers” lawn mower repair along side his brother Tom. Recently his daughter counted 12 riding mowers on his property that he intended to fix and sell or just give away, as well as countless weed eaters and multiples of just about anything else you could possibly need. Having a back up for the backup for the back up was necessary “just in case.”

He was preceded in death by his parents and his son Vance Reed.

Survivors include his son Steven Reed of Rogers, Arkansas, his daughter Kara (Reed) Maberry and one granddaughter Jenna Maberry both of Prairie Grove, Arkansas; two brothers Harold Leo Reed and wife Carol and Tom Reed and wife Elaine; one sister Linda Curtis and husband Frankie, all of Lincoln, Arkansas; nieces and nephews: Jackie, Butch, Heath, Janna, Robbie, Shelly and Shawn as well as many great nieces and nephews.

He was a simple man and he lived a simple life. He will be genuinely missed.

Visitation will be held from 2:00-3:00 PM Sunday, June 1st 2025, at Luginbuel Chapel in Prairie Grove, Arkansas.

Burial will be in the Reese Cemetery in Cane Hill, Arkansas.