Mae Elizabeth Reed

(July 10, 1926 – May 14, 2025)

Mae Elizabeth (Wood) Bickford Reed, 98, passed away peacefully at St. Albans Healthcare & Rehab on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Mae was born in Derby, Vermont on July 10, 1926, to Frank H. and Emma (Brock) Wood. Having been raised on the family's dairy farm, she grew up well versed in farm life, raising dairy cattle and riding horses. On June 29, 1950, she married her first husband, Harley Hiram Bickford, who predeceased her in 1954. They had three children together on their dairy farm in Coventry. On June 27, 1964, she married her second husband Lyell Reynolds Reed, who predeceased her in 1965. They had four children together. Mae worked very hard, and she continued to reside at and run the family farm while raising her seven children alone. She was the sole caretaker of her daughter Enid, who suffered at an early age with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis that left her unable to walk. She did not have an easy life and during difficult times she would often say "I asked God to help me".

Mae was a strong woman of faith and loved being surrounded by her family. She was a gentle and kindhearted soul who opened her door to friends and family. Mae wouldn't hesitate to whip up sandwiches, coffee or tea for anyone who visited. She lent a helping hand to friends and neighbors and felt blessed when others helped her. She always had an answer for one's calamities in life. Her husband Harley would tell her "You are like a Philadelphia lawyer".

One of the highlights of Mae's life was entering her Cadillac into the longest Cadillac Parade hosted by Guinness World Records. On August 17, 2011, the event set the world record with 298 cars for the "World's Largest Cadillac Parade". She received a Certificate for her participation from Guinness World Records. She also loved going to Alan Jackson concerts with her family.

She was predeceased by her brothers Herbert Wood, Matthewson Wood, George Wood and Arthur Wood; her first husband Harley Hiram Bickford, their son Harley Frank Bickford; her second husband Lyell Reynolds Reed, their daughters Enid Reed and Anita Reed Gariepy; stepdaughter Vivian Reed Brown; and a very special niece, Cecile (Wood) Lucas.

She is survived by her children Shirley Bickford Perry and her husband David and their children Rachel and her husband Isaac, Lauren and her partner Michael, and David and his partner Kristin; daughter Helen Bickford Lugano and her son Andrew and his wife CeCe; daughter Wendy Reed Ng and her husband Jimmy and daughters Andrea and her husband Tony, Erin and her husband Joe, and Kelly and her husband Chris; Gariepy grandsons Ethan and his wife Mariah, Isaac, and Aidan and his wife Emma; a son Lyell Roy Reed and his partner Jose and children Chelsey, Gregory and his wife Amirah, and Tyler; a stepdaughter Jean Reed Shepard.

She is also survived by 13 beautiful great-grandchildren, Emmett, Eva, Olivia, Connor, Lucas, Brendan, Michael, Nathan, Gavin, Brielle, Grace, Justin, Atlas, and many nieces and nephews.

The Reverend David W. Lisner, Ph.D. presided over a small funeral service and internment at the Newport Center Cemetery. Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home & Cremation Service,

Donations in Mae's memory may be made to the Arthritis Foundation, or National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), or to a charity of one's choice.

The family would like to thank the staff at St. Albans Healthcare & Rehab for their exceptional care prior to Mae's passing.