Marian C. Coleman Reeder

April 3, 1915 - August 22, 2010

Marian Lydia Coleman was born on April 3, 1910 to George Sydney Coleman and Althea Mae Huntoon Coleman in Streator, Illinois. She preceded two sisters, Marjorie Ellen (Marge) and Elizabeth Ann (Betty).

Marian and her sisters were talented artists. Water color was her preferred medium but she also enjoyed creating pen and ink sketches. She played piano quite well and sang in church and community choruses all her life. Marian had a gift for recitation and excelled at composing poetry and prose. Always a good student with a thirst for knowledge, her hopes of attending college were dashed at the onset of the great depression. She graduated from Streator High School with honors and stayed at home with the family to aid in their financial support.

At one point in time over the Christmas holidays, Marian was the sole support of her family of five since there was no permanent work for her father, a draftsman even as he searched for any type of employment. She worked at the local Kresge’s five and dime store. She earned 25 cents an hour and worked about ten hours a day.

Her sister Betty relates the story of how Marian took her mother shopping and bought the groceries to prepare a chicken dinner for Christmas and a gift for each member of the family. In later years, Betty said to her, “Marian, I remember the doll you bought me and the gifts for Marge and Mom and Dad. Did you get a gift for yourself?” Marian replied as if it hadn’t occurred to her before, “No I guess I didn’t get a gift that year, but it was my favorite Christmas!”

Marian met her future husband in church. His mother introduced them. Stanley Mason Reeder was “a handsome, soft spoken, dapper dresser” a full five years older. While it wasn’t love at first sight, she was intrigued. He called and asked her out to see a movie “The Tale of Two Cities” starring Ronald Coleman and the romance began.

Their courtship lasted four and a half years while Stan was touring with the Hal Riss Orchestra playing drums and bass. He was also endeavoring to open a jewelry store in order to support a wife. They wed in May of 1941. The couple was enjoying a warm and loving first year of marriage working together to establish their jewelry business. Then on Sunday, December 7, 1941 the Japanese attacked the U.S. Naval installation at Pearl Harbor, the country was thrown into war and life changed for all Americans.

Stan enlisted in the Navy as a 3rd Class petty officer in March of 1942. They drove to Chicago and spent the night before he had to report to the Great Lakes Naval Training center at the Palmer House hotel dancing to the music of Eddie Duchen and his Orchestra. Marian returned to her hometown but she was able to join him in Chicago and other parts of the country from time to time while he completed training before shipping out to the Pacific front.

Their son Donald Coleman Reeder was born on September 11, 1943. Stan returned home to Streator after the war and reopened the Jewelry Store. Later on May 18, 1947 a daughter, Beth Ann joined the family. Marian stayed home to raise the children while occasionally helping out in the store.

In 1957 Stanley received an offer of employment at Texas Instruments in Dallas, Texas. The thought of moving south to a warmer climate was appealing to the couple since their son Don suffered from Asthma and would fare much better in a warmer climate. So the Reeders pulled up their Midwestern roots to join the ranks of “transplanted Texans.”

Stan started his own company, D&M Instruments in the mid 1960s which eventually became Reeder Products. Marian worked in the business as a book keeper and performed general office duties.

Marian and Stan were active members in the Methodist Church. Marian was involved with the school PTA , The Kings Daughters, DAR, Republican Women, sang in the Lovers Lane Methodist Church Chancel Choir, Dallas Civic Chorus, Dallas Women’s Chorus, the Sweet Adeline’s and the Cooke County Chorus. She was a delegate to the Texas State Republican Convention at age 79. She enjoyed the company of Don’s sons, Greg, Mason, David and Michael and later Greg’s daughter Jerrica.

The couple moved to their home at Lake Kiowa in 1972. They became very active in community affairs and activities. They often commented on what a wonderful life they had at the lake. Their lives were blessed with good friends and neighbors. Unfortunately that was not to last. Stanley was diagnosed with lung Cancer and joined the Lord in 1982 at age 72.

Marian continued her residence at the lake and remained active in community affairs until the upkeep of the house and grounds became too much in her advancing years. With a heavy heart she sold the lake house and moved to Good Samaritan Village, an assisted living complex in Denton, Texas to be closer to her son Don and his wife, Pamela.

By 2000, Marian’s health was beginning to deteriorate and it became necessary for her to receive more supervised care. She moved to Rosemont Assisted Living Center in Kingwood, Texas near the home of her daughter Beth and son-in-law Walter. She became a member of First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood and joined the Marytha Circle of the Presbyterian Women.

After hip replacement surgery at age 92 Marian became a resident of Oakmont Rehabilitation and Nursing Care in Humble, Texas. She resided there until she joined her Savior and loved ones in the company of angels on August 22, 2010.