Location: W-Drahn

Born: March 21, 1923 Hamilton County, Texas

Died: October 9, 2004 Texas

Parents:
William Riley Reed (1889 – 1958)
Bettie Elizabeth Gordon Reed (1891 – 1977)

Husband of Norma (Key) Kruger Reed

Jack Reed, 81, of China Spring, left us to be with our Lord on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2004, as a result of a brain aneurysm.

A celebration of his life will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at OakCrest Funeral Home with the Rev. Darrell Price officiating.  Burial will follow at China Spring Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd.  A memorial video of his life will be shown.

Jack was born March 21, 1923, in Hamilton County to  Will and Bettie (Gordon) Reed.  He married Norma (Key) Kruger on Feb. 6, 1982.

Jack was a project superintendent for R. G. LeToureau, Inc. in Liberia, West Africa and Lima, Peru.  He supervised several large earth moving projects, including the Waco Dam reconstruction.  he designed, built and operated Oak Hill Raceway in Henderson.

Jack’s skill as a custom boot maker for over 40 years led to the founding of the annual Boot, Leather and Saddle Round-Up in the early 1990’s.  He taught his boot making craft to almost 30 students.  He was an Eagle Scout, and a former Scoutmaster.  He was preceded in death by a daughter, Carolyn Craig.

He is survived by his wife, Norma Reed of China Spring, sons, Jim Reed of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, Ted Reed of Henderson, Lex Reed of Dallas and Larry Kruger of Waco; daughters, Suzanne Reed of Henderson, Diane Brown and husband, Larry of Rockwall and Kim Price and husband, Darrell of Waco; brother, Pete Reed and wife, Maxine of Burnet; sister, Alice Willis and husband, Howard of Burnet; seven grandchildren; and several special nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be grandsons, Brian McCormick, Kevin McCormick,  Matthew Price, Patrick Kruger, D. W. “Wes” Reed and Dionicio Leal.

Memorials may be made to the Boot, Leather and Saddle Round-Up.