Billy Judd Reed, Sr.

Billy Judd Reed, Sr., 74, of Dyersburg, died Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at West Tennessee Healthcare Dyersburg.  Born January 30, 1948 in Dyersburg, he is the son of the late Moody and Doris Foster Reed.  Billy was retired from Caterpillar.

Billy grew up mostly in Dyersburg, but also spent time in Memphis, Shiloh, North Dakota, and Illinois as the family traveled with his father’s work.  He graduated from Dyersburg High School in 1966, and attended both Jackson State Community College and the University of Tennessee at Martin.  He was drafted in 1969 and graduated from U.S. Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina in April 1969.  He then went on to training in Camp Lejeune, NC before deploying to Vietnam in May 1969.  Upon his arrival he served as a Chinook door gunner before training as a medic with the 7th Marines.  Billy would spend 13 months in Vietnam, operating mostly in and around the Que Son Mountain Region.  During that time, he would earn multiple awardsbut was most proud of his Combat Action Ribbon and the brave men he was able to help along the way.  He was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in July 1970.  Upon returning to the U.S., Billy married Jennifer Newsom in October 1970, and they would have two children, Judd and Clint.  He worked at Billy Newsom Produce Company for the next 20 years, then with Gordon Food Service for another 15 years, and retiring from Caterpillar after 14 years.  Growing up, Billy loved playing baseball and did so until he left for Vietnam.  His biggest hobby was cutting grass and helping his son Judd with the multitude of projects around their properties.

Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m, Monday, November 21, 2022 in the Chapel of Curry Funeral Home officiated by Clint Reed with interment to follow in Fairview Cemetery.

Nathan Newsom, Blake Newsom, Logan Brooks, Clark Newsom, Hoyt Newsom, and Chipper Williams will be serving as pallbearers.  Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Newsom, Jim Newsom, Phil Brooks, Bobby Dykes, Gene Hall, Nathan Reed, and Tommy Childress.

The family will receive friends Monday, November 21st beginning at 11:00 a.m. until service time at the funeral home.

He is survived by his wife Jennifer Newsom Reed; two sons, Judd Reed (Denise) of Trenton, Clint Reed (Jennifer) of Jackson; six grandchildren, Dixie, Macy, Delta, Nathan, Shelby, and Shea; one great-grandchild Blake, his sister, Donna Dykes (Bobby), and his brother, Steve Reed (Marla), both of Dyersburg.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Jerry Reed, and his stepbrother Roy Reed.

The family requests memorials be directed to Wounded Warriors Marines.  www.woundedwarriors.marines.mil

Funeral services are under the direction of Curry Funeral Home.  We are privileged and honored to serve the Reed family. You may share your condolences and your memories with the family at www.curryfuneral.com.