Tupelo Businessman and Public Education Champion Jack Reed Sr. Passes Away

Photo from Facebook/ City of Tupelo – Mayor’s Office

Tupelo, Mississippi has lost one of its most notable citizens and businessmen yesterday: Jack Reed, Sr. He passed away at 91 after living a long life helping steer Tupelo and the state of Mississippi towards a brighter future.

Numerous Mississippians have felt the loss of his passing away.

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker said, “Mississippians have lost one of the most preeminent citizens in our long history. As a leader, Jack Reed was courageous and principled – yet delightful and humorous. I am grateful to have known him and to have been one of his many, many friends.”

State Representative Shane Aguirre of Tupelo said, “I am saddened to learn of Mr. Jack Reed, Sr.’s passing… Mr. Reed was a true visionary for our community, business development, and our region is a success because of his leadership. I will miss his infectious smile and witty one-liners. He was a great Mississippian.”

The Tupelo mayor, Jason Shelton, said, “On behalf of the City of Tupelo, I would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Jack Reed, Sr., who will remain in our thoughts and prayers Mr. Reed has always been a true embodiment of the ‘Tupelo Spirit,’ and was instrumental, along with Mr. George McLean, the owner and publisher of the Daily Journal, in developing the Tupelo model of civic pride, civic involvement and civic participation that has so greatly benefited our city and our region.”

Mayor Shelton then noted how 15 years ago, Reed had championed Tupelo’s public education system “as one of the city’s biggest selling points.”

“(Reed) is perhaps the most prominent leader in our city who helped guide our community peacefully through the Civil Rights Era, he and his family and friends kept their children in the public schools while other communities in Mississippi had private schools to escape desegregation.” Mayor Shelton said, “Mr. Reed saw the benefit of public education as an economic development tool to raise the quality of life for all citizens of our state, even to the point of being asked by Gov. William Winter to sit on the committee, which framed the Education Reform Act, the nation’s first educational reform act. Later, Gov. Bill Allain asked him to serve on the Mississippi State Board of Education – a position he held for 10 years.”

Mayor Shelton said in conclusion: “He was the epitome of a business and community leader, from the corner family store Reed’s to positions on the boards of the Community Development Foundation and CREATE. He will be missed by all. We all strive to live our lives in such a manner that we leave the world a better place, and Mr. Reed certainly lived such a life.”

Callie Daniels Bryant is the senior managing editor at HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at callie.daniels@hottytoddy.com.

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