Gwendolyn Virginia (Noack) Reed, 85, Green Bay, passed away Monday, December 26, 2022. She was born December 9, 1937, in New London, WI to Fredrick and Virginia (Smith) Noack.

Gwen was baptized at Emanuel Lutheran Church on January 9, 1938. She attended New London High School and was active in cheer leading, drama club, homecoming court and prom. On January 18, 1955, Gwen married Martin James Reed. She was a longtime member of Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Gwen, being a fulltime homemaker, was a master storyteller. The neighborhood kids would gather around her while she read passages from Mark Twain and the like and she would bring the characters to life with the inflections and animations in her voice. The kids would sit listening and riveted in silence while she read and then protest when her duties demanded her attention to turn elsewhere. The neighborhood kids could never get enough of that.

While the neighborhood kids would run like wild animals through the neighborhood, the parents would insist that these animals be well groomed. The practice would be that when a kid would need a haircut, the parents would give the kid enough money to go to the barber to get a haircut. Word soon got out that Gwen could cut hair and it became the usual that the kids would go to Gwen for a haircut, which was usually done out in the backyard and free of charge. The kid got his haircut and pocketed the money. The parents knew what was going on and the thought was that a kid was a little less likely to get into trouble when he did have a little money in his pocket, from time to time.

That was the closest that Gwen ever came to committing a crime. Gwen was a God loving woman with a heart of pure gold.

She is survived by son, Andrew (Lynne) Reed; brothers, Bill (Kay Ann) Noack, Mark (Colleen) Noack; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Gwen was preceded in death her parents, Fredrick and Virginia Noack; husband, Martin James Reed; sons, Scott James Reed and Fredrick Martin Reed.

Private family services were held. To send online condolences, please go to www.BlaneyFuneralHome.com .