Ms Elaine Wilson Reed

Elaine Wilson Reed, 75, passed away peacefully in her home in Bristol on the morning of November 9, 2016. Elaine was the daughter of the late Firmin P. and Isabel W. Reed, also of Bristol. A true Renaissance woman, she was an inspiration to her students at the Wheeler School to whom she brought a broad understanding of the world, its peoples, and their place - an educator devoted to her students and by them devoted to her. Elaine possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of the arts, music, science, geography and history and a sure sense of how they combined to reflect the civilizations of the world. A true international, she was born in England in 1941, and arrived in Rhode Island at age 13. After 4 years at Smith College and a year of postgraduate study in Nancy, France, she pursued early careers that led to lives in Brussels, Paris, and New York City. At the encouragement of a close friend, she finally discovered her vocation in 1986 as a French teacher at Wheeler School in Providence. She traveled throughout her life to countless places, from Minot, North Dakota to the Kingdom of Bhutan. With her students, Elaine plied the slopes of Stratton and Mount Snow, the winding alleys of Quebec City, the tree lines of New Hampshire, and the boulevards of Paris and Madrid. In her retirement, she traveled to every corner of the earth, by every means of transportation known to man, joyfully, but also assiduously, soaking in an understanding of peoples and cultures. Anglophile by birth, American by adoption, Francophile by education, but by experience a citizen of the world, understanding of its many shades, and intolerant of those blind to them. Never one to be satisfied in retirement, she became a member of the Board of Governors of North Farm, and a passionate chairwoman of the Grounds Committee, working to share her love of gardening and conserve acres of old-growth trees. Elaines generosity of spirit was reflected in her selfless giving. She was very active in the Community Concert Series at St. Michaels, bringing young musicians to new audiences. And, of course, at Wheeler, where on her own she quietly enabled the less privileged to make the trips to Quebec. She leaves behind an ineffable loss not only in the lives of her son Jonathan (Jessica), her brother John (Jon), her nieces Ashley (Scott) and Cameron (Alex), and her great-nephews Jack and Jacob, but also in the hearts of countless friends and relatives. Memorial contributions may be made to the Community Concert Series at St. Michael's at www.ccsatsm.org or to the Refugee Fund at the First Baptist Church in America at www.firstbaptistchurchinamerica.org Interment will be private. A celebration of her life (which she was adamant must not be called a funeral or memorial) will take place on Saturday, November 19at the North Farm Yacht Club, at 1359 Hope Street in Bristol, RI. Please join us at1:00 PMfor refreshments. We will start sharing our memories of Elaine at1:30 PM. If you like, you may also share your memories in the online guest book http://ewreed.com

Service Information Service Saturday November 19, 2016 1:00 PM North Farms Yacht Club 1359 Hope Street Bristol, RI 02809 -->