The first-born daughter of Henry Clay Reed and Mildred Catherine Boyer, she was one of only eight children to reach adulthood in the poverty-stricken depression era. She began working at the age of 5 and officially retired 2 days before her death as one of the most revered and respected educators and educational innovators in the country.
She put herself through school working full time. Carrying up to 21 hours per semester, she maintained an almost constant 4.0 grade point average and graduated Magna or Suma Cum Laude through multiple Master's Degrees. She became a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Financial Planner. But her heart and mind were always in education.
During her life she worked picking cotton, in elder care, as a doctor's assistant, drugstore soda jerk, secretary, bookkeeper, accountant, teacher and educational program director. She traveled extensively with her much-loved husband Howard throughout Central and South America where she survived revolution in Honduras, violence in Columbia, and floods in Brazil. She was a trend-setter and proud of being an asset to her husband's career.
In 1967 she and long-time friend Dr. Marion Cline started Upward Bound, a summer bridge program for the at-risk youth of El Paso, directing and improving the program to the extent the University of Texas adopted her model which is still in use today. From 1982 through 2001 she directed UTEP's Tutoring and Learning Center which she helped develop receiving 3 national awards. From 1993 until her death, she directed Student Support Services increasing and expanding services and student access to education. Through it all she maintained a thriving Accounting practice, taught at Colleges and Universities, assisted her husband in his award-winning Native-American jewelry business and still raised a family of three daughters and a constant flow of foster children.
An active member for many years she is the only person ever to serve on the boards of all 3 National Educational Organizations. Her service to education earned many awards including being named Fellow of the Council of Learning Assistance and Developmental Education and in 2010 she was inducted into the El Paso Hall of Fame.
At age 16 she met the love of her life, Howard. They married in 1947 after a whirlwind courtship of only a few months. She remained devoted to him until her death September 29, 2011, exactly 2 months to the day after losing her beloved husband and best friend. She passed from this life surrounded by her 3 daughters, 1 'adopted' daughter, 7 grandchildren, and as many of her extended family as could fit in the room or on speaker phones.
She was a wife, a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, educator, innovator, mentor and friend. She started out dirt-poor and disadvantaged except for her exceptional mind and she passed away as one of the most loved, revered and respected educators in the country having accomplished more than she had ever dreamed possible. "Memorial donations can be made to one of their three favorite charities: Living Tree Women's Outreach Center; Brock 'Rascal' Riemath memorial Scholarship Fund; or Circle of the Solitary Veteran's and Homeless Fund. Donations are tax deductible and may be mailed directly to 4553 Bobolink, El Paso, Texas 79922 from where they will be distributed and acknowledged."