Louis Grant Reed, 78, of Sky Valley, Ga., died on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
Grant was born in Buford, Ga. on Nov. 28, 1941, son of the late Gordon Daniel and Lula Mae (Bennett) Reed. He is survived by his children, Natalie Reed (Greg) Culpepper, Anna Grant Reed and Jacob Grant Reed, all of Atlanta; and three grandchildren, Luke Christopher Thornhill, William Gregory Culpepper and Garrett Hilton Culpepper. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Tilda Reed Gilder of Fayetteville; brother, James Jerry Reed of Yorba Linda, Calif., several cousins, and his former wife, Marilyn Lamphere Reed of Clarkesville, Ga.
Grant grew up on his family farm near Buford. He was a member of the first graduating class of North Gwinnett High School, and attended Georgia State University, where he studied marketing. He served with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve from 1963-69.
Prior to starting his own company, Reed Printing, Inc., in 1980, Grant was a sales representative with Pfizer Laboratories in Atlanta, Gift Suppliers of Denver, Colorado and Itek Graphics in Atlanta.
Among his numerous community activities, Grant was president and member of the board of directors of the 500 Development Association of Buford. He also served on the board of the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce, Lawrenceville chapter, and was a member of the Gwinnett Rotary Club. He was elected president and named Man of the Year by the Buford Kiwanis Club in 1986. He was a finalist for the Gwinnett Small Business Person of the Year in 1988 and was included in Who’s Who in the South and Southwest.
A member of the Clayton United Methodist Church, Grant’s faith and his family were the two most important things in his life. A devoted father, he loved going to basketball games and coached many of his children’s teams. He never missed their sporting events or school activities. He enjoyed running, reading and woodworking.
In addition to his parents, Grant was preceded in death by his sister, Ruby Gordon (Reed) Edwards, and brothers Raymond Clifton Reed and Patterson Minor Reed.
A funeral service was held Feb. 21, 2020 at 11 a.m. at Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel. Interment followed at Harmony Baptist Church Cemetery, Buford. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the North Gwinnett Co-Op in memory of Grant.
Hamilton Mills Memorial Chapel was in charge of arrangements.