Reverend Ren Warner Reed, 89, of Coldwater, passed away Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital.
A private family burial service will take place at Oak Grove Cemetery in Coldwater.
Arrangements are entrusted to the Eagle Funeral Home-George White Chapel in Quincy.
He was born on November 17, 1934, in Farmington, IL, to Cyril and Bertha (Alpaugh) Reed, the twelfth of fourteen siblings. Warner was married for 65 years to Jane Beth (Lounsberry). They met each other in 1957, while they were students at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL. Warner and Jane were married on July 12, 1958, in Lansing, MI.
Throughout his life, Warner was always concerned about the welfare of other people. As a child, Warner could not tolerate seeing larger children bullying smaller children and he often stepped in to help the bullied children. He also displayed his concern for others by the career paths he chose as well as his generosity toward others by gifting tens and possibly even hundreds of thousands of dollars to family and friends, all done quietly, without public acknowledgement or recognition. As a child and young adult, Warner would always keep a small part of any money he earned from his many jobs and gave the rest to his mother to help support their family.
Warner’s study of Christianity and Judaism led him to the saying, “Never pass up an opportunity to do something good for someone.” His life of 89 years affected so many people, it is difficult to know how many.
Warner graduated from Farmington Community High School in 1952, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Education with a minor in Social Work and Science) in 1957, and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL, (Master of Divinity) in 1960, where he was Class President. He became an ordained minister in the American Baptist Churches USA, at the conclusion of his seminary work, at the First Baptist Church in Berwyn, IL.
He also completed clinical psychology training at Ypsilanti State Hospital, MI, in about 1965. Warner was a learned Bible scholar and his knowledge of all things biblical related was unmatched. He learned biblical Greek and Hebrew while in seminary.
Warner served as pastor to several churches including First Baptist Church, Berwyn, IL (assistant pastor, 1958 – 1960), South Branch Community Baptist Church and Community Baptist Church of St. Helen, MI (1960 – 1961), First Baptist Church, Corunna, MI (1961-1970), First Baptist Church, La Crosse, WI (1970 – 1973), and Clear Lake Baptist Church, Clear Lake, IN (1981 – 2002).
In Corunna, Warner led the campaign to build a new church building and parsonage, doing a great deal of the construction and finish work by himself. At Clear Lake, he spent untold hours remodeling the old church sanctuary and led a building project to expand the building to include a new sanctuary and fellowship hall.
Warner worked for the State of Michigan Department of Corrections as a Parole and Probation Officer for the Branch County Circuit Court in Coldwater (1973 – 1981), and as a Probation Officer for the Branch County District Court (1981 – 1997).
After his retirement, from the courthouse and preaching, Warner taught Adult Sunday School classes at First Baptist Church, Coldwater, and Quincy United Methodist Church.
Warner and Jane resided in the same historic house in Coldwater for 50 years. Together, they remodeled and redecorated the house a few times doing most of the work themselves. They also had many flowers growing around their yard taking up much of their time in the summers. Warner and Jane also took up woodworking as a retirement hobby, turning their basement into a workshop, making clock cases, tables, cabinets and many other things, most of which they gave away to family and friends.
Warner and Jane also traveled throughout the Midwest and Eastern US, and traveled to Israel with the Zola Levitt Ministries tour group (five times for Warner, four for Jane). Their first trip to Israel was a gift to them by the congregation at Clear Lake.
Attending activities of their grandchildren also occupied a lot of their retirement time.
Warner is survived by his wife Jane, their son, Michael Reed, of Spring Lake, MI, their daughter, Joy (Jeff) Sauser, of Caro, MI, and their former daughter-in-law, Antoinette (widow of their son Douglas) (Steve) Sandum, of Augusta, MI. Warner and Jane were proud of all of their family and loved all of them deeply.
Surviving grandchildren are Drew (Katie) Sauser of Grand Ledge, MI, Matthew Sauser, of Oelwein, IA, Grant (Christa) Reed, of Rockford, MI, and Justine Reed, of Belmont, MI, and two great-grandchildren, Wesley Reed and Violet Reed of Rockford, MI. His large extended family includes 53 nieces and nephews, most of whom are still living.
Warner is also survived by three siblings, sisters Greta Gay (Frank, deceased) Kumlander, of Yates City, IL, and Alicia Rose (Robert) Aden, of Chesterfield, MO, and brother, Rudy (Mary, deceased) Reed, of Decatur, IL, and brother-in-law Ed (Berrie) Lounsberry, of Oro Valley, AZ, and sister-in-law Shirley (Ernie, deceased) White, of Portage, MI.
Warner was preceded in death by his parents and his in-laws, Harry and Doris Lounsberry, one son, Douglas Scott Reed, four sisters Katherine Elizabeth Reed, Harriet Virginia (Elwood, deceased) Anderson, Barbara Jeanne (Flip, deceased) Osborn, and Marcia Lou (Bob, deceased) Little, and six brothers Quentin (Violetta, deceased), Hubert (Leona, deceased), Willard (Lois, deceased), Phil, Clayton Hal “Sonny” (Donna, deceased) and James, M.D. (Janet, deceased).
Warner’s love of his hometown of Farmington, IL, was very deep. He had fond memories of his life, his family, and friendships, growing up in a small community. He always had a desire to return to live in Farmington, but as an adult, he was only able to return maybe once a year or so, usually to attend the Reed family reunions.
Because of his love of Farmington, memorial contributions in Warner’s name can go to First Baptist Church, 135 N. West St., Farmington, IL, 61531, or to a charity of one’s choice.
Comments