Birth date: Feb 6, 1947 Death date: Sep 6, 2022
Walter John Reed age 75 of Custer passed away on Tuesday, September 6, 2022. Walter was born on February 6, 1947 in Detroit, the son of Frank C. and Barbara M. (Ponsock) Reed and grew up in the Thompsonville area of Benzie county. Read Obituary
CARED FOR BY
Wyman Funeral & Cremation Services - Stephens Funeral Home
305 E. State St., Scottville MI 49454
Walter was a big brother to me. In Garden City,MI we lived at 7726 Perrin Road. Across the road from our house was a farmer whose name was Walt. He would plant a field of corn each year about 10 acres and make corn stalk tepees in the field in the fall. Walt had some buildings down the road where he lived and had cows that would graze in a small pasture next to the golf course. My brothers and I would spend many hours outside in the pasture and find golf balls and explore. In winter, we would make snow people in our front yard. One year Walter made a tall snow man that sat on the ground. Sometimes we would have snow ball fights. Our dad would make rope with the boy scouts. He put up a rope on two maple trees on the side and backyard. We have a photo of my brothers and I hanging by our hands and legs the length of the rope on a sunny afternoon in the summer. There was a mature elm tree in our front yard and our dad made a rope seat that he put over one of the higher branches of the elm tree. My dad pulled my brother David and then me up to the branch of the tree. It was amazing to see the buildings, trees and neighborhoods around our house. Growing up we would play hide-and-seek in the dark basement. You had to be careful to not step your foot in the sump pump water! Also, Walter would play cards with us in the living room on the floor. We would play card games or build towers with the cards.
Walter and my brothers had bikes to deliver newspapers to people in the neighborhood. When the weather was bad, our dad would help drive my brothers to deliver paper. I had a large tricycle that I would ride up and down the road.
My mom had a garden in the back yard. She had vegetables, many kinds of iris and she also raised rabbits. On the side of the yard she had many tulips in different colors. My dad had made a 3 compartment cage off the ground for mom for the rabbits. The female rabbits had babies and were so soft and cute to hold. My mom would sell baby rabbits for Easter. One year I remember a woman who wanted the bunnies to be colored. My mom did not want to do that.
My dad liked to go fishing and would clean the fish in front of the garage in the backyard. He would cut open the fish and take out the guts. The last thing he would take off the scales. He liked cooking the fish. I think my brother Joe had a love of fishing because my dad liked it.
My parents liked to go tent camping with us when we were younger.We would go to the upper peninsula and cook meals on the fire or camp stove. Sometimes we would get smoked whitefish to eat. Some times we would go to a lake in the winter and climb on ice chunks and explore the frozen water. I saw a photo where I was in my woolen winter clothes and laying on a ice chunk looking like a seal resting.
We had many good memories growing up and having brothers allowed me to grow up as a tom-boy. I liked doing outdoor activities with my brothers.I will miss my brother Walter and know that he is resting in peace.
Barbara Schneider
