Joanie "JoJo" Reed

Joanie “JoJo” Reed was born on Sept. 18, 1960 in Duncan. She passed away on Dec. 5, 2023 in Daytona Beach, Fla. after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease. Joanie was 63 years of age.

Joanie is survived by her son Christopher Alexander Reed of Palm Coast, Fla.; her beloved sisters: Frankie Cary of Ardmore; Kathy Gedik of Comanche; and Lisa Reed of Norman; nieces Jamie Romo and husband Carlos, Kelly Nino and husband Javi, and Jill Webb and husband Cliff; nephews Dustin Cary and Jacob Tidwell; great-nieces Ava Romo, Abigail Romo, Sophia Mangel, and London Stanley; great-nephews Christian Romo, Koby Tidwell, Keaton Tidwell, and Peyton Stanley; aunts Brenda Beatty, Carol Osterstock, and Phyllis Lokey; and numerous cousins. Joanie was predeceased by her mother, Ruthie Jean Reed, her father, Max Del Reed and maternal grandparents, Madge and Bill Morris of Comanche.

Joanie is further survived by lifelong friends in the Comanche High School Class of 1978 along with a group of close friends in the Ormond Beach/Palm Coast, Fla. area who shared the past few joyful years with Joanie and Chris in Florida including Lisa and Bobby Capers, Brittany and Matthew Bane, Dennis and Barbara Lawrence, Mark and Peter Lawrence, Shirley Doyle and Rodney Duncan. Joanie is also survived by her unofficially adopted twin granddaughters, Kennedy Arwen Bane and Kadence Noelle Bane, age four, who affectionately nicknamed her “JoJo”.

After graduating from Comanche High School in 1978, Joanie attended the Red River Vocational Technical School in Duncan where she earned her LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) license. She later attended Rose State University in Midwest City, Oklahoma and earned her associate degree becoming a Registered Nurse (RN). Joanie worked for many years at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City where she cared primarily for children receiving cancer treatment. Working with children who often spent months and years of cancer treatment in her care was one of the greatest joys of Joanie’s life and was her most fulfilling work.

In the latter part of her career and continuing to care for children, Joanie moved to Texas and worked for 22 years at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas. Scottish Rite for Children is a pediatric hospital specializing in the treatment of orthopedic conditions and sports injuries, as well as certain related arthritic and neurological disorders and learning disorders, such as dyslexia. Joanie ultimately retired from that hospital after a long and distinguished career.

Joanie’s greatest joy in life was her son, Chris. They lived many wonderful years together. During their time living in Florida, they would spend many afternoons driving on Daytona Beach looking at the waves and just being together. Joanie loved Elvis, good food and times with friends and family, boat rides on the Florida intracoastal waterway watching for dolphins with Kenny and Kadey, and making beautiful, beaded jewelry in her spare time.

A memorial service will be held for Joanie on Jan. 6, 2024 at the Ray of Hope Church south of Duncan at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research | Parkinson's Disease (michaeljfox.org)