Willis V. Reed

Willis Vergious Reed Sr., born Oct. 14, 1913, and a lifelong resident of Baton Rouge, passed away peacefully at age 95 Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009, at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. He was the owner and operator of the Baton Rouge Post newspaper and lifelong community activist. The family would like to thank Dr. Stacy Jones. Visitation will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East, 11000 Florida Blvd., on Thursday, Oct. 15, was from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Visitation resumes at Oasis Christian Church, 4524 E. Brookstown Drive, on Friday, Oct. 16, from 9 a.m. until religious service at 10 a.m., conducted by Bishop Charles Wallace. Interment in Roselawn Cemetery. Mr. Reed is survived by four sons, Willis Reed Jr. and wife Myrtis Eames Reed, Frederic Reed and wife Linda Stallworth Reed, and Raphew Reed Sr. and wife Bobbie Granger Reed, all of Baton Rouge, and Warren Reed, of California; four daughters, Delores Wright, and Audrey Reed Stewart and husband F.L. Stewart, all of Baton Rouge, Carolyn Pruitt, of California, and Pat Reed Smith and husband Martin Smith, of Texas; 21 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by his parents, Battiest and Martha Corey Reed; three sisters, Lessie R. Albert, Earnett R. Milroe and Geneva Reed; and son, Battiste H. Reed. Because of the large number of awards and community service involvement, mentioned here are just a few: Mr. Reed was honorably discharged from the Army with three battle stars he received for service in World War II, ran for state Senate District 14 in 2007, was founder/president of First Ward Voters League, Oldest Louisiana Black Publishers Award, Inaugural Committee for President Richard M. Nixon and Spiro T. Agnew, appointed a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, chairman of the Louisiana Council for Community Action, Baton Rouge Chapter Council on Human Relation, regional deputy director, Knight of Pythagoras Mason, founder of the Oscar J. Dunn Civic Association, member of Board Capital Area Legal Service Corp, chairman of a three member committee that ended segregation in state schools for blind and deaf students and was also a principle figure in the organization of the Baton Rouge bus boycott in 1953. He had received awards from the following: Gov. Kathleen B. Blanco, East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Bobby Simpson, Clout Ministered Alliance of New Orleans, Sen. Cox, Rep. Michael Jackson, Sen. Melvin "Kip" Holden, Lt. Gov. Melinda Schwegmann, McKinley High School Alumni, Istrouma High School and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. The family would like thank his physician, Dr. Stacy Jones, for her kindness, caring and support.