Reed Woolley 1937-2020
Reed A. Woolley, 83, passed away surrounded by his loving family on Sunday, November 8, 2020, in Urbana, Illinois. He was born on October 20, 1937 in Springfield, Illinois to Ralph M. and Lila (Evans) Woolley.
Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Nancy (Richardson) Woolley of Urbana, Illinois; Daughters Jane (Doug) Barker of Lavalette, West Virginia, and Jill (Jason) Trentz of Urbana, Illinois; three grandchildren, Megan Vanwaus of St. Louis, Missouri, Alyssa Barker of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Matthew Barker of Lavalette, West Virginia.
Reed spent his younger years living in Girard, Illinois. He moved as a teenager to Alton, Illinois where he completed his high school education graduating from Western Military Academy. He continued his collegiate studies at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, where his met and married the rock of his life, Nancy. They moved to Lebanon, Tennessee, where Reed completed his law degree at Cumberland University Law School. He was a member of the Florida and Illinois State Bar Associations.
Reed and Nancy then moved to Beardstown, Illinois where he practiced law with R.L. Northcutt. He remained in Beardstown for the next 25 years of his legal career opening his own private practice with his loving wife, Nancy, working as his secretary. Reed immersed himself in his community working and volunteering within the city of Beardstown. Reed was a member of the United Methodist Church, the Beardstown Rotary Club and the Elks Club. He was elected to serve on the Beardstown School Board giving countless hours helping the educational system thrive.
They moved to Springfield, Illinois in 1986 where he worked as an Administrative Law Judge for the Departments of Revenue and Commerce. Upon retirement he remained in Springfield and began traveling extensively as a member of the Lincolnland Community College Academy of Lifelong Learning (A.L.L.). Reed and Nancy enjoyed many historical adventures while traveling with A.L.L. throughout the midwest. They moved to Champaign, Illinois in 2018 to be closer to family.
Reed loved music and spent many years playing the organ and the trombone. He was an avid runner logging hundreds of miles enjoying his early morning runs. But family was what made Reed the most happy. He loved to spend time with his daughters and grandchildren looking at old family pictures and driving them to visit farm fields near Girard where he lived as a child.