Diane Reid

Services will be at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at the University Church of Christ with David Lough and Bob Shepard officiating. There will be a reception in the Family Activity Center immediately after the services. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. on Friday, September 19, 2014 at Brooks Chapel. Diane was born in El Paso, Texas to Joe and Betty VanZandt on October 22, 1959 while Joe was stationed at Fort Bliss. She always called the Panhandle her home as she lived in numerous Panhandle towns while growing up. She was a May 1977 graduate of Pampa High School and began her college education that summer at Frank Phillips College in Borger. Always an over achiever she completed her college education in three years graduating from West Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education in May of 1980. The following fall she began her teaching career at Puckett Elementary School in Amarillo, Texas at the age of 20. She met the love of her life, Jeff Reid, at a friend's birthday party and after a very brief courtship they were married on June 5, 1981 in Canyon, Texas. The couple moved to Mobeetie, Texas in the fall of 1981 where they lived on Diane's family's ranch. Diane dearly loved the ranch especially spending time on the creek, working cattle or just prowling around. While living in Mobeetie they were blessed with two wonderful sons, Joshua and Jeremy. During the fall of 1987 they moved to Canyon where Diane was a 4th grade teacher at Reeves Hinger Elementary school. Never content to sit still, Diane earned a Masters of Education Administration degree from West Texas A&M University in December of 1991. Although her heart was always in the classroom she wanted to stretch and grow and served as an Assistant Principal at Westover Park Elementary for two years. At the time of her retirement in August she was the Coordinator of Migrant Programs at Region 16 Education Service Center. She had been at Region 16 for approximately 13 years serving in a variety of different capacities. She was so looking forward to retirement, spending time with the grandkids, travel, quilting, writing, camping, returning to India, quiet evenings with Jeff and possibly teaching again. She is survived by her husband, Jeff, of the home; two sons, Joshua, his wife Meghan and children Emma and Henry of Lubbock, Texas; Jeremy and his wife Katy of Ropesville, Texas; parents, Joe and Janie VanZandt of Mobeetie, Texas; a sister, Jana Smiley and husband Mike of Amarillo, Texas; a brother, Damon VanZandt and wife Julie of San Antonio, Texas: a sister Becky Reed of Justin, Texas; two nephews, Steven and Matt Smiley and one niece, Kate VanZandt. In addition there are other family and friends too numerous to mention that greatly loved and respected her. Although she loved flowers, Diane would have requested that any donations made as a memorial to her be made to the India mission work she loved so much. These may be sent to the University Church of Christ PO Box 427, Canyon, Texas 79015.