Randall C. Reed, 71, Abilene, died Thursday, April 30, 2020 in Salina.  He was born November 6, 1948 in Clay Center to Clayton and Betty (Phelps) Reed.

Randy's family initially lived in a small three room farm house without running water in eastern Ottawa County, near Oak Hill.  Randy and his siblings attended Union School, a one room school about 1.5 miles away.  The summer after he completed 6 ^th grade, the family moved to a much larger farm house ¼ mile southwest of Oak Hill.  The family raised wheat and cattle. By necessity, Randy began driving tractors at a very young age.  He also learned how to keep then running. It was something he had a natural ability to do.  As an 8 ^th grader, he built a "doodlebug" from spare parts that he drove around the farm.

Randy was a 1966 graduate of Longford High School where he excelled at football.  He also graduated from Salina Vo-Tech where he studied diesel mechanics.  He enlisted in the United States Army in April 1968. He served as a diesel mechanic in Vietnam from June 1969 to June 1970.

Randy and Sherry Trumble were united in marriage on December 5, 1970.  Randy worked for Graves Truck Line in Salina and later owned his own truck. He hauled grain, fertilizer and other commodities in Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona.

In April 2009, Randy was diagnosed with cancer, non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  This was one of several diseases that were found to be caused by agent orange exposure in Vietnam.  Randy was approved for VA disability and he received many chemotherapy treatments at VA hospitals over the years. His disease and treatments made it difficult to deal with extreme heat or cold.  He bought a camper and spent several winters in south Texas.  He also spent one summer in the mountains in New Mexico.

He was preceded in death by his parents; children, C.J. Reed and Carrie Smith; infant brother Brian Dale, and sister, Dana Hayes.

Survivors are his son, Casey; brother, Mark (Jan) Reed; brother-in-law, Ted (Janet) Hayes; two grandchildren, Catira and Rico Smith; and great grandson Monroe McMillian.

Randy's memorial service was delayed by COVID-19 concerns.  His interment will be Saturday, June 25, at 11:00 am at Mount Liberty Cemetery, west of Oak Hill, KS. Travis Reed, Randy's nephew, passed away July 7, 2021, and will be jointly memorialized. Please join the family for lunch to follow at Oak Hill Presbyterian Church basement, Oak Hill, KS.

Memorials may be made to the Mt. Liberty Cemetery and can be mailed to Wilson Family Funeral Home, P.O. Box 166, Minneapolis, KS 67467.