Ernest Andrew Reed Jr., husband of Crystal Piver Reed, died Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center in Sumter, after a prolonged illness.
Born Nov. 16 1956, in Southington, Conn., Ernie was a son of Virginia Benedict Reed and the late Ernest A. Reed Sr. He graduated with honors from Sumter High School in 1974 at the age of 16. He worked for the Office of the Adjutant General for 25 years as a trade specialist at McCready Training Center in Eastover, until his illness required him to retire. He was an avid NASCAR, Carolina Gamecocks, Chicago Bears and New York Mets fan. He also enjoyed going on cruises with his wife and fishing and kayaking with his kids and wife.
Survivors besides his wife of 18 years include a stepmother, Ruth Reed; mother-in-law, Florence Piver; four children, Felicia Dutton and her husband, Jason, of Coward, Ernest "Tripp" A. Reed III of Sumter, Tammy Benjamin and her husband, Nathan, of Columbia and Andrew Bailey of Columbia; four grandchildren, Merrisa, J.J. and Karliann Dutton and Abigail Benjamin; three sisters, Gloria Reed of Greenville, North Carolina, Salle Rhodes and her husband, Jim, of Easton, Pa., and Ginny Wilson and her husband, Ronnie, of Manning; six nieces; two nephews; six great-nieces; four great-nephews; a special caregiver, Karen Piver; special family friends, Charles and Loretta McDuffie; and his "weekend sons," Nicholas Davis and Anthony Quinones.
In addition to his father, Ernie was preceded in death by a daughter, Melissa Bailey; and a nephew, Walt Woolard.
A funeral service for Ernest Andrew Reed Jr. will be held 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2014, in the Bullock Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Keith Getz officiating. Interment will follow in Piedmont Cemetery in Bishopville, immediately following the service.
Tripp Reed, Andrew Bailey, Jason Dutton, Nathan Benjamin, Robert Singleton III of the Sumter Police Department, and Blake Gainous of the Lexington Sheriff's Department will serve as pallbearers.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2014, at Bullock Funeral Home and an hour prior to services on Wednesday.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the South Carolina Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 107 Westpark Blvd., Suite 150, Columbia, SC 29210, or online at www.lls.org/aboutlls/chapters/sc/.
You may sign the family's guest book at www.bullockfuneralhome.com.
The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home of Sumter for the arrangements for Ernest Andrew Reed Jr.
