Alma B. Reid

Alma Beatrice Reid, 100 years young, left her earthly family to join her daughter and watch over all of us on May 18th, 2023. Alma was born on April 9, 1923 to the late Thorp and Beatrice (Rhoades) Throop. Some of her early childhood memories included marching in one of the very first Cherry Festival parades and walking the railroad tracks to the old Sabin one room elementary school. After graduating from Traverse City Central High School, Alma moved to Flint to work at the AC Spark Plug factory during World War II and it was there she met Gene D. Reid who was attending Barber College after returning from serving in the war on the USS Alabama. Gene swept her off her feet at the weekly dances and they soon married on September 4th, 1948. In the early years Alma was a homemaker and together they welcomed three daughters. Alma loved to fish, hunt, bowl and the family enjoyed their summers on Lake Leelanau. She was always there to help organize school functions, sew costumes for Halloween and special occasions. In later years she worked at Cherry Growers, Setwell Company and Normic Industries. She was a lifelong member of the Traverse City First Christian Church (Creekside Community Church). She also enjoyed winter attendance at the Church of God of Prophecy when on Pine Island in Florida. Anyone who had the joy of knowing her became aware of what a treasure she was. She was the glue to her immediate family but also to her brothers, sisters and multiple nieces and nephews and many extended family. All looked forward to the family reunions at the cottage on July 4th. She embodied unconditional love and poured it out for her family until the day she departed. She was the queen of cribbage which she taught to most all her grandkids, playing for a “penny a point” which filled her poker pot to overflowing. Her well-known greeting when family arrived was “shut up and deal”. She was an avid reader and an amazing cook well known for her famous potato salad. She taught the grandkids how to hunt for nightcrawlers with a flashlight and then head out late at night with them in the rowboat fishing for walleye, as “that’s when the fish were biting the best”. In retirement Gene and Alma loved their winters in Bokeelia Florida. There she had a better “social life” than most with nightly card games with the neighbors, bingo, and ceramics. At 100, she still enjoyed looking at family pictures on facebook or attending church service on her tablet and texting notes to family on her cell phone. Alma is survived by her husband Gene, her daughters; Jerilyn (Dennis) Braun, and Lori (Patrick) Kirkey, son-in-law Robert Sivek Jr., grandchildren; Gina Lake, Devon Braun, Genell Sivek, Bethany Muha, Tyler Sivek, Calvin Sivek, Allen Sivek, Katelynn Yonkers and Matthew Kirkey as well as 14 great grandchildren. She greets with open arms her parents, her daughter Kathy Sivek, her sisters; Laura Owen and Angeline Hull and brothers; Volney, Thorp, Frank and Sidney Throop. As family would leave after a visit, there was always an “I love you” from them and her standard response was always “Love you more” …... We love you more! A Celebration of Life and Reception on July 4th is planned at the Family Home for family and close friends . A special “thank you” goes out to the staff on the Birch Unit at the Pavilions for their loving care over the past 6 months. We would also like to thank her church family and Kim Hartgerink of Soul Purpose Transportation for helping make her 100th birthday on Easter Sunday such a special event. The family wishes memorial contributions be directed to The Creekside Community Church in Traverse City.

Alma B. Reid

April 9, 1923 - May 18, 2023