Patsy T Reeder (Pat)
November 9, 1944 – January 24, 2023
Patsy Ann (Tucker) Reeder, 78, of Auburn, AL passed away peacefully on January 24, 2023, at home with her husband of 52 years, Charlie, by her side. She was born on November 9, 1944, in Murfreesboro, TN and grew up in the small community of Rockvale. She attended Rockvale elementary, middle, and high schools, graduating in 1962. In high school she played basketball, lettering all four years alongside her sister, Linda Tucker, and coached by her father Clifton “CC” and mother Ruth “Dot” Tucker. She was treasurer of her senior class and a Daughter of the American Revolution.
She enrolled in Martin Methodist College to study biology and education. While at Martin she met lifelong friends and it was in 1962 that she met her husband, Charlie. After earning her bachelor’s degree at Middle Tennessee State, Pat and Charlie were married in Murfreesboro, TN on July 3, 1970.
In 1972 she gave birth to their first daughter, Jan, to be followed in 1975 by Miki and twins, Kim and Kris in 1977. After the birth of Kim and Kris, she made her home in Auburn, AL for the next 46 years. She taught science at Thurman Francis Jr. High (Smyrna, TN), Wacoochee, Beulah (AL), completing her public-school career at Opelika Middle School. She was “old school”, respected and loved by teachers and students.
While teaching in Opelika, she became involved with the Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope (GAVRT) program in California. Through GAVRT, she traveled to Germany, Okinawa, Hawaii, and Guam working with teachers and Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists to provide hands-on education experiences. She considered working with teachers all over the US and the world among her most enjoyable experiences.
She spent many years after a full day of teaching carpooling her four girls to dance lessons, softball practices, and band rehearsals. Always cheering them on while still finding time to fix dinner and keep their uniforms clean. Despite the craziness of the schedule of four girls, she believed strongly in providing experiences that would shape them into the women they are today.
When her first grandson was born in 2000 to daughter Jan, she retired from teaching, but never stopped being an educator. She continued to work with the GAVRT program and volunteered for four years while her oldest grandson, Christian Divelbiss, was in elementary school. Grandson, Reeder Keith, was born to daughter Miki in 2009. She was proud of and active in the lives of both of her grandsons and very much the cool grandmother they knew as Pat.
While family was important and special to Pat, she enjoyed visits with her sister Lin, her four girls and grandchildren, and also loved Auburn athletics. She and husband Charlie attended countless football, baseball, basketball, and softball games. In later years they found a love of attending Auburn gymnastics. Pat also loved to travel. She instilled in her children and grandchildren a sense of adventure and encouraged them to get out and see the world. In addition to her travel working with the GAVRT program, she took both grandchildren on vacations, drove many miles on Griswold family vacations and was always the grandparent you could ride the roller coasters with. She may not have thought of herself as adventurous, but she certainly was.
She is survived by her husband Dr. Charlie Reeder and her four daughters and their families, Jan and Kirk Divelbiss of Marietta, GA and grandson Christian of Nashville, TN, Miki Keith and grandson Reeder of Mobile, AL, Kim and Laura Reeder of Auburn, AL, Kris and Ed Fenouil of Madison, GA, and her sister Linda Tucker of Bay St. Louis, MS.
Special thanks to Amber Fellows and Bell Derissaint of Gentiva Hospice for making a very difficult time a little less difficult. A memorial service will be held at a later date.