Madeline Mingle Reed

Madeline Mingle Reed died, December 25, 2020, in St. Louis, Missouri.

On Christmas Day our family lost an amazing woman, Mom, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Wife, and Friend. She lived 94 wonderful years.

Madeline was born in Auburntown, TN to parents Carrie Duff (Davenport) and Hoyt Mingle. She rode the school bus (that her Dad drove) to school and met AJ Reed. When he told her he had been drafted for WWII and that if they were married she could go with him, she said "I've always wanted to travel. Let's do it." Madeline (nicknamed "Red") married AJ Reed (nicknamed "Blue") in 1943. In their early years they traveled wherever Uncle Sam told them to go.

Madeline was preceded in death by her husband, AJ, and son Gerald. She is survived by four children, Judy Simpson (Curt) of St. Louis, MO, Pat Ferguson (Jay) of Greers Ferry Lake, AR, Barbara Dyer (Jim) of Nashville, TN, Terry Reed (Dorothea) of Pekin, IL, and daughter-in-law, Lee Ann Reed of Highland Village, TX. Madeline leaves a tremendous legacy of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, 13 grandchildren, Jeremy (Barbara) and Cory (Carissa) Simpson, Brian (Tammi) Reed and Stacie (Ryan) Baldwin, Laurie (Dustin) Williams and Jayson Ferguson, Carrie (Matthew) Pfeiffer, Cristin (Todd) Hambidge, Tommy Hartzog (Melissa), Linnea (Paul) Hegarty, Morgan (Wes) Stilts, Sherri Miller and Scott (Raven) Reed. 27 great-grands round out the legacy. She catered to those grands and greats...and they all received some of her prized Beanie Babies as proof. In fact, so did her adult children.

Madeline moved from Tennessee to Illinois in 1950 where she was a homemaker, sales manager, and outside sales rep in the interior design department. She worked for both Sears and Montgomery Wards (lovingly referred to as Monkey Wards by her children). As her Granddaughter, Carrie Pfeiffer, recalled, "Word is she could sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo - at least that's what I always believed!"

After Madeline retired, she and AJ traveled where they wanted to go (not where Uncle Sam said). They spent winters in Texas enjoying the warm weather. They traveled by RV with the Southern Baptist Mission Service Corp to help new churches--even one in Alaska. While in Texas Madeline travelled to Mexico on mission trips to help poor indigenous families and the children living in the dump in Matamoros. Madeline was a charter member of Liberty Baptist Church in Pekin, IL.

Madeline's Granddaughter, Carrie Hartzog Pfeiffer, also said, "She taught me to fish, make jam, make pickles, and most importantly, to quilt. I am sure there are a million other things, but that's just a little bit. She is with me in every single stitch."

A memorial service will be scheduled later this year when it is safe for family and friends to gather and celebrate Madeline's life.

We are going to miss her greatly, but rejoice in knowing she rests today with Christ. Her faith was bountiful, and we know that her joy is everlasting. As her nurse said, "just think about the Christmas party she is having in Heaven with your Dad and brother."