Rev. Ronald Boyer Reed

Reed, Rev. Ronald Boyer, 70, entered the Church Triumphant on Sept. 7, 2015, due to complications from diabetes and liver disease. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Gloria (Downin) Reed; his daughter, Shannon Bethany Reed, of Monroeville, Pennsylvania; his son, Justin Matthew Reed, married to Kate Elise (Mosora), of Gaithersburg, Maryland; his sister, Dr. Nedra E. Reed, married to Dr. Gladys M. Craig, of Schenectady, New York; and his sister, Linda M., married to Peter Nowak of Scotia, New York. He was preceded in death by his parents, the Rev. Henry L. Reed and Violet (Boyer) Reed. Pastor Ron was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on November 5, 1944. He graduated from Susquehanna University with a B.A. in English Literature, and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg with a Masters of Divinity. In June, Pastor Ron celebrated 45 years of ordination, having served in the Felton Lutheran Parish in York County; Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Altoona; Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Camp Hill; and retiring from Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Johnstown. After retirement, he served as interim pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mundy’s Corner, and Christ Lutheran Church in Westmont. In ministry, Pastor Ron was especially noted for his deep commitment to visiting shut-ins and the sick; for writing eloquent funeral sermons that truly captured the personality of the deceased; and for his vigorous hugs, about which more than one person commented “Once you get a hug from Pastor Reed, you never forget it!”Pastor Ron loved to travel, and visited all 50 states at least once, as well as Canada and parts of Europe. He had a special fondness for the United Kingdom and its history, and returned there several times. He also collected autographs and antiques, and treasured time with his family and “grand-dog” Freda in the last year of his life. Pastor Ron was a lifelong Penn State football fan, and loved baseball, too, spending his childhood rooting for the Phillies, and cheering on the Pirates even at the end of his life. He loved reading a good mystery novel, listening to folk music and early rock and roll, and going for long drives on the back roads of Pennsylvania with his family. They hope that Pastor Ron’s friends will think of him fondly whenever they root for the Bucs, stay up too late reading a good book, or turn the car down a country lane just to see where it leads. Friends received 2-4 and 6-8 PM Thursday at Harris Funeral Home, 500 Cherry Lane, Richland. Funeral Service will be held at 11:30 AM Friday at Christ Lutheran Church, Elknud Lane, Westmont. Rev. N. Gregory Van Dyke and Bishop Michael Rhyne, officiating.  Committal at Richland Cemetery. Family suggests contributions in memory of Pastor Reed can be made to Windber Hospice, 600 Somerset Avenue, Windber, PA 15963; or Heifer International, 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72202; or the ELCA World Hunger Fund, ELCA Churchwide Ministries, 8765 W. Higgins Road, Chicago, IL 60631.