Calvin Lewis Reed

Calvin Lewis Reed was born on October 24, 1943, in Hallandale, Florida, to Carine Collier and Norman Reid. He spent his childhood in Hallandale and graduated from Crispus Attucks High School in 1961 and entered the United States Air Force soon after graduation. After his honorable discharge from the Air Force, Calvin served in the Foreign Service with the United States Department of State in Ghana and Washington, D.C.
Calvin met his wife Von Cile James Reed in 1970, and they were married August 27, 1971. Calvin and Von settled in Miami, Florida, and in November 1973, their daughter Crystal Levonne was born. In 1976, Calvin, Von, and Crystal moved to West Kendall, in south Dade County. Calvin remained there until 2005, after Von's passing, and moved to Jacksonville, FL, to be closer to Crystal, his son-in-law Ershod, and his two grandsons, Ershod II (Deuce) and Calvin (CJ).
Calvin spent his career working in retail sales management and was a long-time manager of Eckerd Drug stores in South Florida. After moving to Jacksonville in 2005, he worked as a store manager for Factory Card and Party Outlet in Mandarin and retired in 2007. Never one to sit still for long, Calvin soon started volunteering at Shands Jacksonville (now UF Health Jacksonville), and in 2010, he took a part-time position working as an Associate in the UF Health gift shop, where he was affectionately known as "Mr. Calvin" or "Mr. C". Calvin worked in the UF Health gift shop until December 2018.
An avid sports fan and a true South Floridian, in his downtime, you could catch Calvin wearing anything from a Florida Atlantic University (his Alma Mater) sweatshirt to a University of Miami (Crystal's Alma Mater) t-shirt. He was a fan of the Miami Heat also, and when South Florida was awarded a Major League baseball franchise, he became a Florida Marlins (now Miami Marlins) fan. Make no mistake, though, the Dodgers was the first MLB baseball team he loved. Calvin had been a Dodgers fan since he was a child, as he was an admirer of Jackie Robinson and was a fan even before their move from Brooklyn, NY, to Los Angeles, CA.
Although most Saturday and Sunday afternoons were spent watching college and professional football (in the Fall) and baseball (in the Spring) with Ershod, Crystal, Deuce, and CJ, Calvin's favorite place to watch sports was in the stands at his grandsons' football and baseball games. Deuce and CJ were Calvin's most admired athletes. In fact, he interchangeably greeted both of them as "Champ". He loved watching them play and took great pride in their accomplishments on and off the field.
Calvin's family and friends will miss his barbecue, fried fish (grouper and red snapper were among his favorite), conch salad, and other dishes and recipes he brought with him from Miami to Jacksonville. Calvin's love of jazz, R&B, and the Motown Sound are evident in his vast vinyl, 8-track, reel-to-reel tape, and CD collection he leaves behind. It wouldn't be unusual to find him watching a football game with the television volume on mute or reading a book (he was an avid reader), while listening to his Frankie Beverly and Maze: Live in New Orleans concert (or other favorite) album playing through the speakers.
Calvin passed away peacefully on September 11, 2019. He is predeceased by his wife Von Cile and is survived by his daughter Crystal Reed Jasey, son-in-law Ershod, grandsons Ershod II (Deuce) and Calvin (CJ), cousins Joseph Weeks, Lafayette McDonald (Veda), Patricia Jones (Jimmie), brothers-in-law Cornelius R. James, Jr., Ralph W. James, Sr. (Jean), and Rawn M. James, Sr. (Sara), Clifford Alexander, many nieces and nephews, cousins, and a host of family members, friends, and co-workers.
Calvin Lewis Reed, lover of Kangol hats, sports, music, and a good book on musical, sports, or political history, Master of BBQ, friend to many, Pop of Shod, Deuce, and CJ, Dad of Crissy, and Husband of Von Cile, you are loved, you are missed, you are free and safely home.