Marilyn Williams Reed, 95, of Danville, died Sunday, August 25, 2024 at Klein Unit, West Burlington, Iowa. She was born January 6, 1929 in rural Danville to Clair A. and Helen Howard Williams. She was a 1946 graduate of Danville High School; a 1949 BA graduate of the University of Iowa; and a 1976 MA graduate of the University of San Francisco. On August 16, 1951 she married Joseph Doyle Reed in Taft, California.
Marilyn taught elementary classroom and vocal music for thirty-seven years, most of those in Antioch, California. After retiring from teaching, she was a trained volunteer at the Lodi Women’s Center serving women victims of domestic violence and rape. She was a member of the Union Baptist Church in Rio Vista, California where she taught Bible studies and sang in the choir. She had a strong faith in her Lord Jesus Christ which drove her passion to serve others. Later she was a member of Harmony Bible Church, rural Danville where she was involved in the choir, Burlington Jail, and Mt. Pleasant Women’s Prison Ministries. She also enjoyed reading, gardening, and traveling in the United States and abroad.
She is survived by her husband of seventy-three years of Danville; sons Rock (Angela) Reed of Alpharetta, Georgia and Russ (Diane) Reed of Danville; six grandchildren, Amy, Ben, Paul, Alex, Brook and Lindsey; and nineteen great-grandchildren. Her parents and sister Frances Carson preceded her in death.
According to her wishes, her body has been cremated and the family will gather at a later date to celebrate her life. Elliott Chapel, New London, is assisting the family and online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com.