Iras Joy Warner Reed, a.k.a. “Butch”, passed away peacefully in her sleep the morning of Oct. 22, 2021. We are sure that her best friend and lifelong love, Walt, came to her, reached out his hand and led her to a happy and peaceful place where they can continue their love story forever.
Iras was born Oct. 14, 1928, to Lucille Ditlow and Elmer T. Warner. Her grandpa Ira was so happy when she was born that she was named after him to reflect “Ira’s Joy.” She had a happy childhood with many memories made at the family cabin in Millcreek Canyon where she and her family spent most of their summers.
Iras met Walter S. Reed while attending South High School and they married shortly after he returned from serving in the Coast Guard. They began their married life in Salt Lake City while Walt earned his degree at the University of Utah and Iras worked at Mountain Bell as an operator. They had their first son Randy in Salt Lake and then moved to Price for Walt’s first teaching job. It was in Price where Robbynn and Rik were added to the family and in 1955 they moved to Tooele with all three kids in tow. Iras worked at and retired from First Security Bank in Tooele where she made many dear friends.
She loved celebrating any and all holidays with her family, including an annual witches night with all of the other “witches” of the family. Although their family was the center of their lives, Walt and Iras also enjoyed traveling, camping, fishing and hunting. She went on deer hunting trips even into her 90s. Iras had a way of cooking the harvest of the hunt and making it delicious! She was also an excellent baker and anytime you stopped by her house you were offered cookies, cake, banana bread and coffee. Many a weekend night was spent playing pinochle with Joyce and Fritz Hoerold, Walt’s sister and brother-in-law. When they retired, they bought a motorhome and headed out for many adventures around the state. They joined the Good Sam Club and discovered new places and met many new friends.
Iras was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Walter S. Reed, her sister Velma (Claude) Breeze, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Joyce and Fritz Hoerold, and son-in-law Allen (Robbynn) Tracey.
She is survived by her three children Randolph Walter (Rose) Reed, Robbynn Sue Tracey, and Richard Warner (Liz) Reed; five grandchildren Amy (Matt) Trebella, Jason (Kelcie) Reed, Jenny (Gilbert) Rojas, Jessi (Nate) Starley, and Josh (Heather) Tracey. She was also blessed with and thoroughly enjoyed nine great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Iras spent the last few years of her life at Cottage Glen Assisted Living where she was welcomed as family and met a dear friend, Margaret. Thank you Margaret for being a loyal and loving friend. The family would like to thank the staff at Cottage Glen and Canyon Home Health and hospice for taking excellent care of our mom and making her time there a happy time.
Private family services will be held Oct. 28, 2021, at 10 a.m., at Tate Mortuary, and interment will be at the Tooele City Cemetery.