Houston Reed

Houston Reed, 94, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Sunday, June 7, 2026, at the Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha, IA. Services to celebrate his life will be Friday, June 26th, 2026, at 12:00 pm at The Runge Mortuary with visitation on Thursday, June 25th from 4-7 pm at the funeral home. His final resting place will be in the Rock Island National Cemetery.

Houston was born, October 17, 1931, in Aberdeen, Mississippi to Garland Akin and Ora Lee (Love) Reed. He moved to the Chicago area when he was seven and he graduated from Phillips High School in Chicago. Directly after high school, Houston joined the Army and served his country proudly. He married Mary Jean Morris in Las Vegas, and she preceded him in death on April 26, 2021.

After service to his country, Houston went to work for the CTA Company where he worked on the railroad rails and inspected and tested the trains. He worked for thirty years before he retired.

He spent time in Las Vegas where he loved going to the casinos along with eating, shopping and traveling all over the world.

Those left to honor his life include his daughter, Shiniece (Gerome) Trent, Cedar Rapids, eight grandchildren, three great grandchildren, four extended grandchildren, two sisters and numerous nieces and nephews. His parents, son, Michael Reed and five siblings preceded him in death.