Stephen was born to Helen Walter Reading and Douglas Keith Reading in Chicago May, 1942. He died peacefully and comfortably at home surrounded by family in Ann Arbor on May 17, 2024.
Shortly after birth, while Douglas served in the US navy in WW II, mother and son moved to Ann Arbor. Stephen attended pre-school, nursery and K-6 at Angell School living right across the street – but always late. He graduated from Tappan Jr. High and Ann Arbor Pioneer.
He attended Eastern Michigan University and University of Michigan graduating with an MS degree in economics. He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and the Scabbard and Blade Military Honor Society at Michigan. Following graduation in 1965, and having completed ROTC, Lt. Reading attended Infantry School at Ft. Benning Georgia and Intelligence School at Ft. Holabird, Maryland. He was subsequently deployed to Vietnam in 1966 (HQ MACV CICV) as a Combat Intelligence Officer.
He returned in May of 1967 and, to his death, remained bitter about the criminality of the war. However, while in Vietnam he was pleasantly involved with and was instrumental in helping children while serving as the HQ MACV liaison officer to the Hoi Duc Anh orphanage in Cholon - earning a Joint Service Commendation medal for his military and civic service.
Returning from Vietnam, he continued his education at Michigan State University and graduated with an MBA in 1969. At about the same time he was recalled to serve in the Reserves in the Military Police Command in Detroit. After two years (weekends and summer “camp”) he resigned his commission.
Also in 1969 he joined Ford Motor Company in the Forward Planning Department. After writing the company’s first Parts Division Policy and Procedure manual, defining the relationship between the dealer body and Ford Motor Company, he was assigned to Texas (Houston) as a Zone Manager. While serving in Houston he met and married the most wonderful girl he ever knew, “Ms.” Agnes Gibson Pearson. In 1974 they were married and moved to Ann Arbor.
While he served 10 very happy years with Ford in many capacities, during the last 4 years he was assigned to develop a business operations model to guide all Ford dealer parts and service operations. It evolved into a very technical and metric-centric business model, too technical for the less technical and less experienced Ford Field personnel to install. So in 1980, Ford asked Stephen to carry on the operation by forming his own company, Automotive Dealer Management, Inc. (ADMI) to be located in Ann Arbor.
Stephen and Ms. Agnes both were pilots, each flying their own planes. For Stephen that hobby morphed into volunteering as an Angel Flight pilot for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. In that endeavor, and over many years as a pilot and as an inpatient, outpatient and business operations researcher, he became intimately familiar with the Mayo/Malcolm Baldrige business model. ADMI subsequently adopted and applied the principle elements of that model to their clients and over the years it was expanded to include thousands of Ford dealers and other domestic and international manufacturers.
In 1976 they were truly blessed with their first child, Douglas – nick name “Shadowman” (Kellie) and subsequently their babies (Katelynn and Stephen). In 1979, they were blessed once again with Caroline – nickname “Muffin Lady” (Brad), – followed by two little ones (Brody and Logan).
He was so proud of both Caroline and Douglas for what truly and completely fine role models they had become as parents and was sad because, in death, he wouldn’t see the four most wonderful grandchildren become moms and pops (“mops” and “plops” in Douglas’s vernacular).
Ms. Agnes, Caroline, Douglas, their spouses and the “little ones” (including the children’s many dogs, cats, fish, birds and even chickens) are his legacy. He considered his life absolutely complete having such a wonderful family.
Ms. Agnes, throughout their long and happy marriage, was his best friend and loving partner, both in life and in business. His life revolved around his love and respect for her. While raising Douglas and Caroline in the 80’s, Agnes (BS Wellesley) earned her MBA from the University of Michigan and became the Chief Financial and Human Relations Manager for ADMI. On the nights Ms. Agnes was in class, Stephen always fixed spaghetti – the kids got sick of it and finally later confessed that they ate cheerios after dad went to bed – spaghetti remained Stephen’s favorite meal.
Stephen’s three younger siblings (who always “adored” him) all reside in Bluffton SC: Sister Pamela and her sons Mark (California) and Mathew (Valencia, Spain), Brother Mark and wife Paula (both deceased) and their daughter Heather (Des Moines) and Sister Deb (Carter) and their children Hayley (California) and Whitney (Washington) survive.
He hopes to see you all again, (but not soon)!
Amended on May 18, 2024 by Agnes, Douglas and Caroline:
Stephen and Agnes endowed 20 nursing scholarships at Washtenaw Community College that provides full tuition and expenses. For Stephen, this program represented an opportunity to promote long-term, stable, professional employment, and to honor his many caregivers at Mayo Clinic and St Joseph’s Hospital.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Stephen may be made to the Washtenaw Community College Foundation to support the Student Emergency Fund, which was dear to Stephen’s heart.
Please join the family to share happy memories at the Gandy Dancer from 3pm-5pm on Saturday, May 25th, 2024.
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