Schoharie- Edna Mary O'Neill Reed, known to many folks as "Gramma", passed from life on earth into the waiting arms of Jesus on August 9, 2008. She was 100.
Born in Vallejo, California on May 7, 1908, she was the eldest of six children born to Hugh and Ora (Woodbeck) O'Neill. When Edna was still an infant, they moved to Sparks, Nevada and when Edna was a toddler, they moved to Charlotteville to be near her mother's family. Edna spent the rest of her life in Schoharie County.
She attended the Wharton Hollow one room school in Summit and graduated from Jefferson Central School in June 1924. She married her only sweetheart, Clifford Reed in June 1924. They were married for 64 years.
Edna and Clifford lived in Jefferson for 21 years and moved to their Yankee Street, Town of Fulton, farm in December 1945. They lived there until 1983 when due to Clifford's failing health, they moved to Middleburgh to be closer to family. After her husband's death, Edna moved to Schoharie where she lived for 15 years. In 2003 she moved to Shutters Corners, Town of Wright, with her daughter, Ethel. After a brief hospital stay in June, she lived with her daughter, Helen.
Edna was a member of the Grange in Summit and along with her husband, The Eastern Milk Producers. She was a member of the Summit Methodist Church. She attended the United Presbyterian Church after moving to Schoharie.
Besides her husband, she was predeceased by her siblings: Hugh O'Neill, Jr., Patrick O'Neill, Albert O'Neill, Ora Dibble and Margaret English Szymanski. She was also predeceased by one daughter, Esther Madden and three grandsons: Michael Reed, Ronald Palmatier, and William Madden.
She is survived by two daughters, Helen (Robert) Palmatier of Cobleskill, Ethel Reed of Town of Wright, Schoharie and one son, William (Imelda) Reed of Corinth; eight grandchildren: Francis (Terry Todd) Madden, Jr. of Middleburgh and Madisonville, Tenn., Florence (Ted) Van Dycke of Warnerville, Richard (Ruth) Palmatier of Cobleskill, Michele Niedbalski, Maureen (David) Schrom and Monica (Darin) Meade all of Schenectady, Nadine (Donald) Felter of Watsonville and Clifford (Heidi) Haslun of Charleston. Also nine great-grandchildren: Scott (Danielle Coolidge) Madden, Eric Van Dycke, Kim Seward, Sara (Todd) Delmarter, Caron (Fred) Cleveland, Daniel Haslun, Mikayla Haslun, Gabrielle Schrom and Colette Schrom, and one great-great granddaughter, Dawn Cleveland, one "adopted" grandson, Mike Warner and also her beloved pet cat, Missy.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, August 14, 2008 at Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home 171 Elm Street Cobleskill with Rev. Steffen Zehrfuhs of the Bethany Lutheran Church in Central Bridge.
Friends may call from 6 to 8 PM on Wed. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Summit Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to your favorite charity of Edna's memory.