Joseph Reed Obituary

DELAND - Joseph Condron Reed, 84, passed away peacefully June 25, 2025. A celebration of his life will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 26, at Granville Farms in Lake Helen.
Joseph was beloved by all of his family. His impact is felt by generations of DeLand students and families.
Joseph was born March 2, 1941, in Rockford, Illinois, to Rhoda and Joseph Reed Sr. He grew up in Oregon, Illinois, where he excelled in football, basketball, track and golf, accumulating 11 varsity letters and being named ""Athlete of the Year"" in his senior year in high school.
He also met all the requirements to become an Eagle Scout, foretelling his lifelong commitment to leadership, community service and citizenship.
Following high school, Joe attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, where he was an active member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
He was drafted into the Army in 1963, completed Officer Candidate School, and became a company commander while stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia.
After his military service, Joe returned to college at the University of South Dakota on a football scholarship.
Upon completing his bachelor's degree in education, he moved to DeLand, where he began teaching at DeLand Junior High School. At the same time, Joe attended Stetson University, where he earned his master's degree.
In 1968, on the first day of school, Joe met Kathleen Grandell, also a first-year teacher, in the parking lot of DeLand Junior High School. It was love at first sight, and the young teachers were married Feb. 8, 1969, in Wilmington, Delaware, a union that lasted 56 years.
Joe was a devoted Volusia County educator, teaching and coaching generations of students in his 30-plus career, before retiring as a principal. He served as a history teacher and guidance counselor, coached football, basketball and golf teams, and was assistant principal and then principal during his time at DeLand Junior High.
In 1975, Joe and Kathy welcomed their only child, Kirsten, into the world. A scratch golfer, Joe lost the final match at the DeLand Country Club Championship the same morning after his daughter was born, having been up for three days straight waiting for her birth.
An incredible golfer, you could find Joe on a golf course every Saturday morning, outplaying the younger guys on the course. He loved the DeLand and DeBary Country Club courses and his golfing buddies.
Joe taught Kirsten how to play golf at a young age, entering her into a PeeWee Championship at the age of 5, the same year he learned how to braid her hair in the mornings, when Kathy went back to college to get her master's degree.
Joe was a devoted family man, with a wife, a daughter and son-in-law, granddaughter, grandson and two younger sisters, as well as an entire family on his wife's side who adored him.
He had a great laugh, a smile that would light up the room, and was a friend to everyone. There's no question that his proudest accomplishment was his daughter, who shared his love of long walks, animals, sunsets, evenings sitting around the firepit, and the family she created.
Joe loved his son-in-law, Rhett, as his own and was in constant awe of his grandson, Reed, and granddaughter Elyse. He was the greatest grandfather, who always supported them at every sporting event, school play, awards banquet and birthday party. He was always there. He never missed a moment to tell his family how much he loved them and how proud he was of them.
Joe is survived by Kathleen, his wife of 56 years; his daughter, Kirsten Reed Wilgers; his son, Rhett Wilgers; grandson Reed Wilgers; and granddaughter Elyse Wilgers. He is also survived by his two sisters, Robbin Reed (husband Patrick Kudlich) and Kathryn Tremble (husband Mark); and nieces Katie, Farrell and Becca and their children, and innumerable Grandell family members in Delaware.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks to consider making a donation to support Sidelined, a philanthropy organization created by his granddaughter to support injured Volusia County high-school athletes, or to the Alzheimer's Association. Lankford is in charge.