LOVITA P. REED

Lovita Priscilla Reed, 69, died from cancer at her home in Palmer on March 6, 2005. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 14 at the Valley Funeral Home Chapel, 2020 Hemmer Road in Palmer, with Elders Rodger Bruner and Mark Hill officiating. Floral arrangements are welcome. Her ashes will be scattered over Pioneer Peak in the springtime.

Ms. Reed was born May 26, 1935 in Bemidji, Minn., where she was raised and graduated high school. She moved to Anchorage in 1981 where she lived until making Palmer her home in 1999. Before moving to Alaska, she worked for Ruttger's Birchmont Lodge in 1953, Montgomery Ward from 1953 to 1954 in Bemidji, Minn. She went on to work for Bell Telephone in Minneapolis from 1954 to 1957. She moved to Kansas City, Mo., in 1957 and worked for Sears & Roebuck until 1963. During this time, she also married her husband, George Reed on April 4, 1958. She returned with her husband to Bemidji in 1963 where they owned and operated Reed's Retreat Resort until 1981 when she moved to Alaska. In Alaska, she has worked in the field of real estate in property management from 1981 to 1999 and as a real estate agent and certified manufactured housing appraiser from 1999 until her death. She was a member of the Church of Christ.

Her loved ones wrote, "Lovita was known for her hospitality. She loved everything about Alaska. She especially loved gold panning. Her home was always open to everyone who needed a place to stay for a time. We would like to express a special thanks to the staff of Mat-Su Hospice whose caring help will always be remembered." Her husband, George Reed, preceded her in death. She is survived by her sisters, Vivian, Laura, Irene, Kathryn and Alice and a number of nieces and nephews. Arrangements were with Valley Funeral Home and Crematory in Wasilla.