RUTH REED

RUTH REED

Ruth Reed, 87, of Fort Dodge, died August 13, 2023, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednes­day, August 23, 2023, at the Tompkins Celebration Center of Friendship Haven. Interment will be held in North Lawn Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 22, at Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

Ruth Arlene Bowman, the oldest of nine children of Cecil and Crystal (Beech) Bowman, was born March 28, 1936, in Atlanta, MI. She graduated high school in Saginaw, MI, and received her nursing degree from Hurley Medical (Education) Hospital. On April 5, 1958, Ruth married Dr. James Reed, MD. Following their marriage, in 1959 Ruth and James spent the next two years at Camp Irwin, CA, where James served as a Base Physician. While at Camp Irwin Ruth worked as a Brownie Troop Leader. From 1961 to 1963 James completed a Residency program at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, and Ruth served as a Pediatric Nurse at Beaumont Hospital. In 1962, Jim Jr. joined the Reed family. In 1963, Ruth, James and Jim Jr. moved to Fort Dodge where James set up his Medical Practice in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Over the years Ruth worked as a Pediatric Nurse. She was an active member in the First Congregational United Church of Christ and in the Fort Dodge Community, especially serving many years as the Co-Chair with Operation Christmas, as part of Church Women United. Ruth was member of PEO Chapter MD, enjoyed playing bridge and doing needlework.

Survivors include her husband of 65 years, Dr. James Reed; their children Jim Reed Jr. and Sarah Porche; her grandson Jordan Martin; siblings Linda Kinney, Barbara Duby, Cathy (Gordon) Green and Bruce Bowman; brother-in-law Pat (Judy) Reed, as well as many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings Judy Bowman, Nina Scheiffle, Carol Palmer and Cecil Bowman Jr, her granddaughter Emily Elizabeth Porche; father and mother-in-law Robert and Edna Reed, in-laws Roland Reed, Wendell Reed, Carl Reed and Betty Maguson.