John Reed, 90, of Riverton passed away on Monday, March 11, 2024. The funeral service will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, March 30, 2024, at Davis Funeral Home with interment at Mountain View Cemetery with military honors. A viewing will be held prior to the service from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.
John Charles Reed was born at home on the family farm near Oshkosh, Nebraska on September 4, 1933, to John Henderson and Edna (Anderson) Reed. He went to grade school at many different schools and graduated from Greeley Colorado in 1952.
He married Valarie Patricia Van Winkle in 1956. They were married 42 years until her death in 1999. In 2001 he married D’Arlyn “Dee” Murphree, and they were married 23 years before he passed.
After graduation he joined the U.S. Navy and served from 1952 to 1972. He Honorably retired as a 20-year veteran as a Chief Petty Officer. He was decorated with a National Defense Service Medal, China Service Medal, and Good Conduct Bronze Star. He was stationed in The Phillippines, Japan, Vietnam, and Formosa. He served three deployments to Vietnam and served at numerous Naval Air Stations in the USA. He was a photographer stateside and overseas, and sailed on the cruiser USS Los Angeles, as well as the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany, with a crew of 5,000. He photographed the take-offs and landings of fighter aircraft. He spent the greatest amount of his time as a Radar Operator and Electronics Technician on the P3 Anti-Submarine Aircraft. He flew in Patrol Squadrons VP 47 and 48, from California to Japan, then on to Vietnam, and over China.
After his Navy career, he worked 20 years for the State of Wyoming Department of Agriculture. On weekends he farmed and ranched with his father. After retiring from the State, he farmed and ranched full time for the remainder of his life. He loved to travel, hunt, fish and play cards. It was a life well lived.
He is survived by his wife, D’Arlyn “Dee” Reed; brother, James A. Reed; stepchildren, Tyler Murphree and Molly Meyer (Nathan); grandsons, Jamison Murphree, Aleksander Murphree, Evan Meyer, Zachary Meyer; Nieces, Deb French and Barb Ingram; nephews, Marty Reed, Joel Icenhour and John Holloway (Sylvanna); and sisters-in-law, LaDonna Zimmerman (Steve) and Sherree Niepomnik (Jerry).
He was preceded in death by his former wife, Valarie Reed; parents, John Henderson Reed and Edna June Anderson-Reed; sisters June Icenhour and Karolyn Kay Dschaak; nephews, Jimmy Dale Holloway, maternal grandparents, Emil Anderson (Myrtle); paternal grandparents, John and Susan Reed.
On-line condolences may be made online at TheDavisFuneralHome.com
Charitable donations may be made to Guiding Eyes for the Blind or Salvation Army, in care of Davis Funeral Home.
Services under the direction of Davis Funeral Home, Crematory, and Monuments.
Grey Hair is a crown of splendor. It is attained by a righteous life. Proverbs 16:31
Home from the seas
Is the sailor
Home from the skies
Is the aviator
Home from the hills
Is the hunter
Home from the fields
Is the farmer
He was all of these.
Now take back the soul of John Charles Reed, whom you have shared with us.
He brought us joy and we loved him well.