REED, Darwin Lee

REED, FRY, ERB, WALKER, OTTO

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 6/22/2017 at 01:12:13

Obituary ~ Darwin Lee Reed
February 01, 1951 ~ May 23, 2017

Lamoni Chronicle
Lamoni, Decatur County, Iowa

Darwin Lee Reed, age 63, was a man of few words. He pretty much lived by the motto, “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.” Darwin was born at Clarke County Hospital in Osceola, Iowa on February 1, 1954, to William Edward “Eddie” and Elsie Marie (Fry) Reed of Van Wert, Iowa. Older brothers, Chet, Eldon, and Dorman, welcomed baby Darwin home. Less than two years later, Darwin became a big brother, welcoming his baby sister, Maelene.

Darwin grew up in Van Wert and graduated from Clarke Community Schools in 1972. In 1973, he joined the United States Navy and served a short time.

On October 15, 1977, he married Marcena Jo Erb. They enjoyed a long honeymoon period as it took seven years to have their first child. In 1984, they welcomed Casie Marie, and in 1986, Clayton Edward came along. Caleb Lee wrapped up the family in 1989.

He was a hard working man. And no matter what job he was doing, he was always proud of it. As a teenager he helped on farms, loading square hay bales. Not long out of high school he worked at the camper factory in Humeston, Iowa. During the time he and Marcena were raising their kids, he worked at Jimmy Dean in Osceola. When Jimmy Dean closed up, he went on to earn his associates degree in construction from SWCC. From there he went to work building houses for a few years. He also worked at Siemens in Osceola. After they closed, he went back to construction work, siding houses. He was always proud of his work, and would often take his kids to show off what he had built. After the housing market started to decline, he went to work for Swine Graphics Hog Farm in 2006. At his age it was a hard job where he received many minor injuries, but he was a tough guy, who got the job done, no matter what. He enjoyed taking the kids and grandkids by the hog farm to show off his baby pigs. Believe it or not, Darwin was somewhat of a softy. That line of work is tough, and it was hard on him when he had to slaughter several of the hogs after disease had ravaged the farm. He would light up when he talked about getting to bring his baby pigs into the world, so when he got the opportunity to share that with his kids and grandkids, it was something he really enjoyed. He retired in October of 2016, due to health reasons

Darwin was quite the outdoorsman. He passed his love of the outdoors to his kids, taking them fishing and camping often and occasionally, he took the boys deer hunting. As a family they cruised around looking for deer. Another thing Dad shared with the kids was buckeye hunting. He would take them to beautiful locations where he knew they could find buckeyes, to keep as treasures. During the summer the whole family looked forward to camping at Nine Eagles State Park. He enjoyed bike riding with his kids. He also loved motorcycles, especially Harley Davidson’s. Darwin loved all of his dogs, currently, he had CC and Sasha Lynn. They gave him great comfort after Marcena passed away on July 12, 2008.

He served as a volunteer fireman for Garden Grove.

Darwin never wanted to give up, and he put up a heck of a good fight, fighting cancer as long as he could. He lost the battle at the Circle of Life Hospice House in Chariton, Iowa on Tuesday, May 23, 2017.

Those who are most proud to have known him and will miss him the most are his children, Casie and Marvin Walker of Treynor, Iowa, Clayton Reed and companion, Theresa, of Garden Grove and Caleb Reed and companion, Katelyn, of Chariton, Iowa; four grandchildren, Delaney Walker, Pierce Walker, Keagan Reed, and Avrey Lynn Reed; siblings, Chet and Sharon Reed of Van Wert, Eldon and Linda of Chariton, Dorman and Kathy Reed of Des Moines, Iowa, and Maelene and Duane Otto of Van Wert; many nieces and nephews; his dogs, CC and Sasha Lynn; and other relatives and friends.

Preceding him in death were his parents; wife, Marcena; and three nephews, Larry, Chuck, and Shane Reed.

Memorial services were conducted at 10:00 a.m. Friday, May 26, 2017 at Slade - O'Donnell Funeral Home, Leon, Iowa. Interment was made at Garden Grove Cemetery, Garden Grove, Iowa.

Slade - O'Donnell Funeral Home of Leon and Lamoni handled arrangements.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2017

Decatur Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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