A Legacy Of Faith And Leadership: Honoring Pastor John Reed's Impact On Church and Community

He was a pastor inside the church as well as in the community and his influence and legacy will live on around the country.

“When you impact the lives of people, long after you are gone, they will remember that,” said daughter, Shree Walters.

Pastor John Reed, a name respected in every arena.

“And when he started speaking, it was like it got silent,” said Walters.

The pastor, civil rights activist, and community leader was known all over country.

“Someone would be like, hey Dr. Reed how are you doing, you did this, and you baptized me, and you impacted my life, and then when they would walk away, I’d say daddy who was that, and he would say, I don’t know,” said Walters.

Daughters Shree Walters and LaShai Reed-Rhone, are closer to him than anyone.

“To us, he was just daddy,” said Lashai Reed-Rhone, Pastor Reed’s daughter.

And though he never sought the spotlight, his influence was felt nationally.

“When he answered, it was Jessie Jackson, and he was like I need to talk to John, this is Jessie Jackson, Derrick dropped the phone, and he was like, who is your daddy that he knows Jessie Jackson? And I said oh their good friends,” said Walters.

As the nation and community navigate moving forward, the church he pastored for over sixty-one years must now figure out life without their leader.

“When I came down to the office Monday afternoon After we left the hospital and I walk down to his office, and I was like I won’t see him sitting here anymore,” said Walters.

 Pastor Reed passed away Monday morning shortly before noon.

“He said dad just wants you to take care of yourself. Always take care of yourself,” said Reed-Rhone.

His last task as pastor was bittersweet for Walters.

“He did not want to leave this earth with his daughter being ordained and I got ordained on Sunday night and he passed Monday,” said Walters. 

The daughters reflect on the outpouring of support on social media from all over the country.

“It’s like wow, that’s our dad, that’s our dad,” said Reed-Rhone.

There are two memorial services planned, Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 7 at 10 a.m. Both will be here at Fairview Missionary Baptist Church, 1700 NE 7th Street.