John Thomas Reed, Jr.

John Thomas Reed, Jr., 85, of Midland, passed away Wednesday, January 23, 2013, in Midland. Memorial services will be held at 4:00pm, Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at Christ Church Midland with Rev. Mary Collier and Rev. Steve Kelly, officiating. John was born April 12, 1927 in Amarillo, TX to Minnie C. and John Thomas Reed. After moving to Graham, TX in 1930, he graduated from Graham High School in 1944. He attended Gradwohl Institute Medical Research in St. Louis, MO in 1945. He also entered the United States Army in World War II in 1945, serving as a gun commander, 90mm antiaircraft weapons, in the Coast Artillery. John was at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Fort Meade, MD and Fort Bliss, TX. He transferred into the medical corps as a laboratory technician at William Beaumont General Hospital in El Paso, TX. He was discharged from the service as a Tech Sergeant in 1948. John also attended North Texas State University and Mid Western University. He joined Mid Continent Supply and worked all over the Permian Basin and Maracaibo, Venezuela. He was employed as executive director for the Midland Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. He later joined Clearview Hospital as an intervention specialist.John married Helen Katherine Klump in Hobbs, NM on January 21, 1961. She succumbed to breast cancer in May 1998.Survivors include stepson, Dr. John Klump and wife Dianna of Alamogordo, NM; daughters, Lacy, Mandy, Johnna, and Tanna Marie; stepdaughter, Karen Roberts of Grapevine, TX; sons, Michael, Jeremy, and Damien; nieces, Theresa Nelson of Lubbock, TX and Jo Ann Maynard of Altus, OK; and nephew, Prentice Boling of Post, TX.John was a longtime member of Alcoholics Anonymous with continuous sobriety from October 17, 1975.When you have outlived everyone it makes for a small intimate service.Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences can be made at: www.npwelch.com,