Jonathan Ray Funeral service for Staff Sgt. Jonathan Ray Reed, age 25, will be at noon Saturday, Feb. 5, 2005, with a Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Opelousas. The Rev. Jeff Deblanc, the Rev. Mark Ledoux and Chaplain Sanders will officiate the service. Visitation begins at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at Sibille Funeral Home, Opelousas, with an all-night wake until the time of service Saturday. A Rosary service will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Military burial honors will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Port Barre. Mr. Reed died Friday, Jan. 28, 2005, in Baghdad, Iraq. He was a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army with Company B 1088th Engineer Battalion Unit. He was a combat engineer (12-B) while in the military. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal and numerous other medals. He was previously employed at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Opelousas and was a member of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Opelousas. He was a 1998 graduate of Port Barre High School, where he played on the football and baseball teams. He was a loving husband and father. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, riding motorcycles, participating in sports and was a proud LSU fan who enjoyed tailgating. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. Survivors include his wife, Desi Boone Reed of Port Barre; son, Riley John Reed of Port Barre; father, Webster Lynn Reed, Sr. and stepmother, Ruth Burns Reed of Krotz Springs; mother, Paula Terrell Reed and stepfather, Arthur Rodriguez of Houston; two brothers, Webster Lynn Reed Jr., who was Riley's godfather, and Bryan Michael Reed, both of Houston; two stepbrothers, Todd A. Voiselle and wife Paulette of Simmesport and John T. Voiselle and wife Tiffany of Plaucheville; maternal grandparents, Dave and Pricillia Terrell of Melville; paternal grandmother, Linda Krantz Soileau of Krotz Springs; two nephews, Michael Taylor and Jobee Boone, who was his godchild, both of Port Barre; and a niece, Keylee Boone of Port Barre; three stepnephews, Tyler and Jacob Voiselle, both of Simmesport, and John T. Voiselle, Jr. of Plaucheville; and a stepniece, Amber Voiselle of Simmesport; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Dudley "Joe" Boone, Jr. and Belinda Marks Boone of Port Barre; brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Joey Boone and wife Louella and Tiffani Boone, all of Port Barre; maternal grandmother-in-law, Isabel "Tut" Marks of Port Barre; and paternal grandfather-in-law, Dudley J. Boone Sr. of Church Point. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Ervin Webster Reed; stepgrandfather, Ray Soileau; maternal grandfather-in-law, Ryan J. Marks; and paternal grandmother-in-law, Joyce O'Pry Boone.
Published in The Advocate on 2/4/2005.