Eileen Reed

Eileen Lieberman Reed passed away on Saturday, September 24, 2022, surrounded by her family. Eileen was the youngest of three children born in Chicago, Illinois on July 24, 1933, to Eva and Harry Lieberman of blessed memory. Eileen grew up in Chicago, where, on a blind date, she met and married her love Alan Reed. Together they would travel the world visiting 6 continents and share 55 years until Alan's death in 2007. They adored their 3 children: Teri Reed, Paula (Steven) Soffer and Rick (Audrey) Reed. They would bless them with 4 grandchildren Kelli (Ivan) Neel, Brian (Emily) Rudelson, Samantha Reed and Jenna Reed. When Paula married Steve, Eileen welcomed Jennifer (David) Kaufman and Jeffrey (Allison) Soffer into her family as her own and became Mini to them as well. She was blessed to have 6 great grandchildren Theo and Sonny Neel, Noah and Abby Kaufman and Mayer and Presley Soffer. Eileen and Alan lived in Chicago until 1969 when a business opportunity presented itself in Houston. They moved and created a home for their family in Texas. Eileen involved her children in activities to ensure they felt that Houston was their new home. In 1970, she decided she wanted to finish college. She enrolled at the University of Houston, taking one class at a time, graduating 13 years later with a bachelor's degree in Anthropology just weeks before becoming a grandmother for the first time. Her grandchildren affectionately called her Mini, a name given to her by Kelli - a name that stuck for all her grandchildren, their spouses, her great grandchildren, her children and all their friends as well. Eileen had a passion for the arts and served as a docent for the Museum of Fine Arts Houston for 39 years. She was part of the original Board of Directors for the Holocaust Museum Houston and was instrumental in developing its docent and Patron of the Arts Programs. For 25 years, she served as a community member on the Institutional Review Board of MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her children will remember her love for the arts starting with weekend visits to the Art Institute of Chicago to her leading tours at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston for her family and friends, even hosting birthday party tours for her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Eileen will be remembered for having a zest for life, often being the last one to leave the dance floor at any Bar Mitzvah or Wedding party. During the pandemic she could be found outdoors doing Zumba at Levy Park. Eileen's love for her family was first and foremost. She treasured time together and often reminisced about her 80th birthday trip to Napa Valley with her children and grandchildren. She loved visiting vineyards in matching shirts, letting everyone know it was her 80th birthday and relishing in their comments that she did not look 80 years old. Distance never interfered with her special relationship with Rick's family who live in Boston. She and Alan treasured their time with them. She loved playing Queen for a Day with Samantha and Jenna or having slumber parties at the hotel. She was a woman ahead of her time, learning and embracing technology. Eileen used UBER before her children knew what it was. She always said FaceTime was just as good as being together and became a pro at using Zoom during the pandemic. She had many friends and loved spending time with them. Her last 6 years she felt blessed to meet her "special friend" Leon Fastow. Together they would share happy hours, travel, holidays and their families. This past August, they took her much desired cruise of the Great Lakes. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Shirley Sterling and Kiki Rand who cared for her over these past several months. Eileen was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 and Lymphoma in 2008. She never let it interfere with her living her best life. She was eternally grateful for the incredible doctors at MD Anderson Cancer Center, particularly Dr. Nathan Fowler, who took such special care of her for the past 10 years. She will mostly be remembered for teaching us all how to live and how to love. A memorial service for Eileen was held on Wednesday afternoon, September 28, 2022 at 4:00 PM at the Sophia and Jack Bender Memorial Chapel, 7445 Awty School Rd. Houston, TX 77055. In lieu of flowers, donation can be made to: The Halo House Foundation, 2940 Corder St., Houston, TX 77054 MAIL@HaloHouseFoundation.org , The Holocaust Museum Houston, 5401 Caroline, Houston, TX 77004 www.hmh.org or to the charity of one's choice.

Eileen Reed

July 24, 1933 - September 24, 2022