Janice J. Reed was born on January 4, 1939, to Reverend and Mrs. V.A. Smith of Adamsville, Tennessee, and she passed away on February 6, 2023, at the age of 84 after a prolonged illness. She was preceded in death by her brother, Ferrell Vincent Smith, her parents, V.A. and Beatrice Smith, her husband, Carl Whitlow, and her son, Mark Vincent Whitlow-Reed. She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Fredia and Bruce Bolinger, her daughter-in-law, Diana Reed, and her grandchildren, Alyssa, Marcus, and Jaisa Reed.
Janice received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Memphis Lambuth and began teaching soon after graduation at Hardin County High School, her alma mater, in Savannah, Tennessee. Janice served as the head of her department at Hardin County High School. She served as secretary for Hardin County Teacher’s Association and secretary for Hardin County Board of Education. While still teaching at Hardin County High School, Janice also began working with Tennessee River Pulp and Paper, teaching their top secretaries.
Janice married her high school sweetheart, Carl E. Whitlow, in June 1959. They were blessed with a son, Mark, in April 1964. When Janice was 26, Carl was diagnosed with cancer and passed away, leaving her with a ten-month old son.
Janice married Rev. F.R. Reed and served alongside him in ministry while evangelizing, then pastoring in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Baytown, Texas, and Troy, Michigan. She continued her love for education while working in the churches they pastored and served as the Director of Christian Education at Faith Apostolic Church in Troy, Michigan, for over 30 years, teaching every age group from the nursery through adults.
After Janice lost her only son, Mark, she moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2002, to remain close to her daughter-in-law, Diana, and her grandchildren, Alyssa and Marcus.
In her retirement years, Janice was an active member of The Calvary Church in Cincinnati. She enjoyed wonderful friendships, oil painting, and playing the piano, and she had many piano students whom she loved.
