Betsy Reed

Betsy DeAnne Beall Reed

1937 - 2022

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Betsy

Obituary of Betsy DeAnne Beall Reed

Betsy DeAnne Beall Reed

Betsy was mercifully freed from her earthly body on Thursday, January 6th, 2022, in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Born October 19th, 1937, to the late Anthony Earl Beall and Margaret Earline Houston Beall in Jackson, Mississippi, Betsy was the epitome of the classic southern woman. She attended the University of Mississippi, graduating in 1958 with a BA in Education. This was a time when ladies happily wore their “summer wool” to steamy August football games, when guys and gals were “pinned”, and “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets was all the rage. A single glance at a sorority mixer bonded this Ole Miss Beauty with the love of her life, S. Leroy Reed, Jr., and they were married for the next 64 years.

Betsy was an excellent organizer and dedicated much of her life to giving back to her community. In high school, she served as a Worthy Advisor for the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, then in college, as a Delta Gamma at Ole Miss, and later as president of the Junior Leagues of Stamford-Norwalk, CT. Betsy also faithfully sang in the choir of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in New Canaan, Ct, and served on the altar guild of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on Hilton Head Island, SC, where she and Leroy lived nearly 40 years. In addition, Betsy traveled extensively around the country as a USTA tennis umpire, serving as chief umpire for numerous men’s and women's college and professional tennis tournaments, including the US Open and Family Circle Cup.

Betsy loved New York and Paris, her best friends, Broadway musicals, collecting art and antiques, and entertaining everyone. And she also made a pretty darn good ambrosia. The old adage still remains that “the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.”

Betsy is survived by her loving husband, Leroy Reed; two daughters, DeAnne Reed Vane, of Mount Pleasant, SC, and Leslie Reed Costello, of Orlando, Florida; and a granddaughter, Sarah Reed Vane, as well as many dear cousins and friends. Her family especially expresses their sincere gratitude to Franke at Seaside and Lutheran Hospice for their excellent and loving care as God ushered Betsy home.

Interment will be private. Plans for a Covid-safe memorial service are underway. Messages may be sent to the family via https://lowcountryfuneral.com/tribute, or via the guestbook at www.postandcourier.com. Otherwise, please contact the family directly. In lieu of flowers, please give to the Alzheimer’s Association at ALZ.org so to help eradicate this cruel disease.