January 11, 1936 - September 8, 2025
The visitation with the family for Judith "Judy" Cromwell Reed, an 89-year-old Enid resident, will be from 4:30p.m. - 6:00p.m. on Friday afternoon in the Henninger-Hinson Funeral Home Chapel. There will be a private family burial, memorial service, and reception in October on the 16th.
Beloved wife and mother, devoted Gigi, sister, educator, and loyal friend, Judith Cromwell Reed passed away to be with her Savior and God on September 8 from heart failure.
Born in Enid, Oklahoma, in 1936 to J. Lee and Mary Edwards Cromwell, Judy traveled the world before marriage and moved frequently as an Army wife; yet she always considered herself an Oklahoman. She grew up working alongside her five siblings—Meme, John, Bill, Lish, and
Mark—in the family printing and office supply business, Cromwells, Inc. Even decades later, she could wrap the perfect package. At Enid High School, Judy marched in the band, performed as an Aquaette, served as a class officer, and built friendships that lasted a lifetime. She
remained devoted to her Enid High Class of 1954 and continued meeting classmates for lunch well into her later years.
Judy treasured her time at Oklahoma A&M (now OSU), where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English and joined Kappa Alpha Theta and was tapped for Mortar Board. She later completed a master’s degree at OU, taught in the Enid Public Schools and at OSU, and then joined the Department of Defense to teach middle school in Japan—an adventure that sparked years of travel before returning home to Oklahoma. A blind double date in Stillwater introduced her to Chicago-born Art Reed, who was attending the Artillery Career Course at Ft Sill. They married a few months later and shared nearly 60 years together. While Judy described motherhood as her favorite “job,” she also worked at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum cataloging robins’ eggs and later as a technical writer for Monsanto. Returning to Enid in the 1980s with Art and their two daughters, Judy taught English and Speech at Waller Junior High for nearly 20 years, touching the lives of countless students.
Faith was central to Judy’s life. She was a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church, where she taught Sunday School and sang in the choir. She later joined Westminster Presbyterian. A dedicated P.E.O. sister for over 50 years, she helped found a local evening chapter. She loved her family history and worked on several collections of Edwards-family records and filled her home with books that reflected her lifelong love of reading. A pianist, she delighted in sharing music with her children and grandchildren.
Her greatest joy was being “Gigi.” Judy played a daily role in her grandchildren’s lives—driving carpools, cheering at sporting events of all kinds, delivering forgotten lunches, and keeping Pepperidge Farms Milano cookies always stocked in her pantry.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her loving husband, Art; daughters Mary Elizabeth “Molly” (Geoff Helm) and Catherine “Cathy” Lloyd Reed-Benge; grandchildren Harrison (Jesheon) Maud, David Helm, Jake, Caitlyn, and Max Benge; and great-grandchildren Arthur and Sophia Maud.
She is also survived by her siblings Meredith Wheeler, John (Vera) Cromwell, Bill (Sarah) Cromwell, Elizabeth (Steve) Glasser, and Mark (Kitty)
Cromwell, along with many dear nieces, nephews, and close friends.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to one of Judy’s favorite local charities—Hedges Speech and Hearing or Loaves and Fishes. Above all, honor her memory by extending kindness and patience to others.
