Obituary for Malissie E Reid (Richardson)
Loving Wife, Mother, Grandmother & Great-Grandmother
Malissie Elizabeth Reid, known to many as “M.E.”, was born on March 18, 1930 in Southampton County Virginia, to Ava Boone and Johnnie Delno Richardson. She departed this life May 14, 2019 at the age of 89. She was raised by her beloved father, grandmother Elizabeth, and loving Hollister, North Carolina community family. At the age of nine, her mother died while giving birth, and Malissie lovingly took on the nurturing role of sister/mother-figure to her siblings.
She married the love of her life, Joseph Wilbert Reid on January 29, 1951 after a 3-week ‘love at first sight’ courtship. They were introduced at Malissie’s grandmother Elizabeth’s home in Hollister, NC on Christmas Eve 1950, by her cousin Joshua Davis.
Malissie was a devoted wife and mother to her five children. She worked tirelessly with her husband in their upholstery business for over 54 years. It expanded successfully and was later based in West Orange, NJ and Montclair, NJ serving the surrounding community, including a celebrity clientele.
In her early life, she worked with her dad on their farm, rising early to milk the cows, feed the hogs, and do whatever was needed to assist her family. She was a wonderful homemaker and excellent cook. She made sure her family had a delicious home-cooked meal each night which was always finished off with a special homemade dessert. Her holiday meals were especially legendary, filling the dining room table with such a spread of delectable southern food choices that you could not possibly taste everything. Every bite was prepared with love.
In recent years, she found great enjoyment in watching and feeding colorful birds. She would light up whenever in the presence of her grandchildren or looking through albums filled with family photos.
Malissie was very spiritual and always put her love for God and family above all else. She taught her children at an early age to say their prayers and praise God for all of His bountiful blessings.
She was a dedicated and faithful Deaconess at First Baptist Church in Nutley, NJ who along with her husband were among several Deacons who put their home up as collateral to help fund church construction. She retired as Deaconess Emeritus.
She and her husband retired to Red Oak, NC in 2001 and moved into the home they proudly built, alongside their commercial property 7R Plaza. They became members of the Pine Chapel Baptist Church family in Hollister, NC.
She is survived by her five children, Malissie L. Reid, Joseph W. Reid, Jr., Melinda R. Gerrard, Anthony D. Reid, Jonathan A. Reid; daughters-in-law Danilova Reid, Lisa Reid, Kenesha Reid; son-in-law Robert Gerrard; 10 grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren; siblings Magnolia Richardson, Delno Richardson, Sally Mae Brinson, Eveline Jones, Mark Delno Richardson, John Silver; sisters-in-law Berlene Richardson, Hester Davis, Ruth Veney, Jean Richardson, Laura Richardson, Connie Silver, Helen Reid, Virginia Reid, brothers-in-law Jack Clinton Richardson, Milton Brinson and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, family and friends.
She is predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Joseph W. Reid, Sr., her brothers Johnnie H. Richardson and Allison Richardson.
The Funeral service will be celebrated on Sunday, May 19, 2019 at Pine Chapel Baptist Church in Hollister, NC at 2 p.m.
The interment will follow at Pine Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitors will be received at the Pine Chapel Baptist Church on Sunday from 1 p.m. untgil service time.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Dementia Society of America http://www.weremember.com/malissie-reid/8k8u/memories
Malissie Elizabeth Reid, known to many as “M.E.”, was born on March 18, 1930 in Southampton County Virginia, to Ava Boone and Johnnie Delno Richardson. She departed this life May 14, 2019 at the age of 89. She was raised by her beloved father, grandmother Elizabeth, and loving Hollister, North Carolina community family. At the age of nine, her mother died while giving birth, and Malissie lovingly took on the nurturing role of sister/mother-figure to her siblings.
She married the love of her life, Joseph Wilbert Reid on January 29, 1951 after a 3-week ‘love at first sight’ courtship. They were introduced at Malissie’s grandmother Elizabeth’s home in Hollister, NC on Christmas Eve 1950, by her cousin Joshua Davis.
Malissie was a devoted wife and mother to her five children. She worked tirelessly with her husband in their upholstery business for over 54 years. It expanded successfully and was later based in West Orange, NJ and Montclair, NJ serving the surrounding community, including a celebrity clientele.
In her early life, she worked with her dad on their farm, rising early to milk the cows, feed the hogs, and do whatever was needed to assist her family. She was a wonderful homemaker and excellent cook. She made sure her family had a delicious home-cooked meal each night which was always finished off with a special homemade dessert. Her holiday meals were especially legendary, filling the dining room table with such a spread of delectable southern food choices that you could not possibly taste everything. Every bite was prepared with love.
In recent years, she found great enjoyment in watching and feeding colorful birds. She would light up whenever in the presence of her grandchildren or looking through albums filled with family photos.
Malissie was very spiritual and always put her love for God and family above all else. She taught her children at an early age to say their prayers and praise God for all of His bountiful blessings.
She was a dedicated and faithful Deaconess at First Baptist Church in Nutley, NJ who along with her husband were among several Deacons who put their home up as collateral to help fund church construction. She retired as Deaconess Emeritus.
She and her husband retired to Red Oak, NC in 2001 and moved into the home they proudly built, alongside their commercial property 7R Plaza. They became members of the Pine Chapel Baptist Church family in Hollister, NC.
She is survived by her five children, Malissie L. Reid, Joseph W. Reid, Jr., Melinda R. Gerrard, Anthony D. Reid, Jonathan A. Reid; daughters-in-law Danilova Reid, Lisa Reid, Kenesha Reid; son-in-law Robert Gerrard; 10 grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren; siblings Magnolia Richardson, Delno Richardson, Sally Mae Brinson, Eveline Jones, Mark Delno Richardson, John Silver; sisters-in-law Berlene Richardson, Hester Davis, Ruth Veney, Jean Richardson, Laura Richardson, Connie Silver, Helen Reid, Virginia Reid, brothers-in-law Jack Clinton Richardson, Milton Brinson and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, family and friends.
She is predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Joseph W. Reid, Sr., her brothers Johnnie H. Richardson and Allison Richardson.
The Funeral service will be celebrated on Sunday, May 19, 2019 at Pine Chapel Baptist Church in Hollister, NC at 2 p.m.
The interment will follow at Pine Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitors will be received at the Pine Chapel Baptist Church on Sunday from 1 p.m. untgil service time.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Dementia Society of America http://www.weremember.com/malissie-reid/8k8u/memories