Mrs. Maggie Lue Reed

The Life Of Maggie Lue Reed: MOTHER MAGGIE LUE REED was born December 30, 1923 in Elmore County, Alabama to the union of Emanuel Harris and Pearlie-McBride Harris. She was the second oldest of seven children, who preceded her in death: Ollie Mae Reed, Jimmie Fambro, Willie Walker, Elzina Neal, Grant Harris and Mathew Harris. In 1931 the family moved to Clanton, Alabama, where Maggie attended school. The schools did not mix races; the blacks went to one school and the whites went to another. Maggie and her sisters would have to walk five miles going and coming from school. The white children rode the bus and they would throw rocks at them. Maggie and her sisters got tired of this and started piling up rocks and waited for the bus to come, and they would throw the rocks. They would have to cross over the bridge going one way and the white children crossed over, going the other way, and when they met in the middle of the road no one would move so they would bump into each other and the fight began. Maggie came out without a mark, but other children were a mess. Her sister said her fingernails were as hard and sharp as a razor and after that the white children rode by them without a word. Maggie and her sister Jimmie loved to go to school even though they had to fight they went to school. Maggie was a fighter and she fought anyone that messed with her family. As much as they loved school, Maggie said there were times when she couldn't afford a pencil. She and her sister Jimmie would get up early in the morning before the grown-ups and go to the hen house and get (steal) an egg so that they could buy a pencil. One egg, one pencil. They would break the pencil in half so that each one would get a piece. She said the only reason they could get only one egg, was the chickens were full of lice and they would be jumping around too much for them. The family wasn't into church at that time, but they did attend a Methodist and Baptist church. Maggie and Coleman met in 1940 when he would come to Lomax on the weekends. He liked her at first sight, but she held back. She was a serious minded woman, very little sense of humor and no time for foolishness. He was the most popular man in the place and the girls would line up just to dance with him. Even though she did not dance, there was a juke box in the place, and Maggie kept the music going when she would take the buttons off her dress and put them in the machine. She would stand back and look as the girls lined up to dance with Coleman. After months he finally won her over. Coleman described his courtship with Maggie as scratchy. She had eyes like a cat and could scratch like a possum. She wouldn't look at him, always holding her head down. He said he put his arms around her she would scratch him, and it felt like she had peeled his skin off. He said he was one-bloody armed man. He didn't let a few scratches stop him. On February 7, 1941 they were married. From this union ten children were born. Coleman always felt that Maggie was very expensive because he had to pay $3.00 for their marriage license. They lived on a farm that they rented from a land owner. They grew sugar cane and corn. And Coleman worked in the fields and Maggie worked in the corn mill, washing and ironing clothes and she also kept the books for the land owner. The man that owned the land made a deal with them that he would buy the fertilizer they needed since they didn't have enough money and he would get his money when he went to market to sell. When they wanted to visit their family in Clanton, he would take them since he was going there too. He kept books and he would put down his figures No matter how much Coleman would give or do, the man would put down more for him and less for Coleman. Believing that he had a couple that could not read nor understand he was cheating them; he would put up his books for safe keeping. Maggie knew what he was doing and when he left to go to the market, she would tell Coleman to get the books. While he was gone, they would sit under the tree and Maggie would go over the books and correct the figures. After several years they were able to buy their land from the money that Coleman had made honestly. In the summer of 1945, the family moved to Detroit, Michigan. They joined Love Tabernacle COGIC on Hastings Street in Detroit, under the leadership of the late Bishop William Rimson. On Hastings Street, Maggie served in many capacities in the church; as a nurse's aide, Pastor's Aide, Altar Workers, and cook. Later on several auxiliaries were established that she was a member of: The Ever Ready Sisters, Mother's Board, Deaconess Board, Sewing Circle and the Prayer & Bible Band. She was given the task of serving as a prayer warrior for the Sick & Shut-in. She was an anointed woman of God. Mother Reed was a saved, sanctified, Holy Ghost filled and faithful member for over 65 years. After all her children were old enough, she went back to school and got her GED. She attended sewing classes, hat making and cake decorating (making the most beautiful wedding cakes). For over 20 years, she made her own clothes and hats. MOTHER MAGGIE LUE REED departed this life on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 in her home.

Mrs. Maggie Lue Reed

December 30, 1923 - June 17, 2014