A born leader and an extremely talented woman

Five Towns Audrey Reed is remembered by friends and family

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An active fundraiser and philanthropist who lived in the Five Towns for more than 50 years, Audrey Reed, died on July 4. She was in her mid 80’s.

Reed grew up in Brooklyn and Long Beach, attending Erasmus High School in Brooklyn before graduating from the University of Miami. She lived in the Five Towns, traveling back and forth from the Five Towns to Florida, before permanently moving to Florida about six years ago.

She was an avid fundraiser, working for many charities including Hadassah, B’nai B’rith, St. Joachim’s R.C. Church, the Anti-Defamation League and the United Jewish Appeal organization. Reed, a member of the Woodmere Club, was especially involved with Hadassah, a women Zionist organization, said her daughter, Cindy Paska, who lives in Virginia.

“She was very prolific in the philanthropic world,” Paska said. “She liked helping on the fundraising end and handling the events that surrounded fundraising.”

Reed and her husband, Larry, were devoted members of Temple Israel in Lawrence. They supported the construction of the religious school, named the Audrey and Lawrence Reed Religious School. Larry was a trustee on the board at Temple Israel before he died in 2006 also on July 4.

Judy Berman, a close friend of Reed, knew her for about 40 years. They met at the young married group in Hadassah, when Reed was chapter president. Berman lived in the Five Towns before moving to Woodbury seven years ago.

Reed was considered a vital member of the community who “loved being with the younger people; she nurtured us, taught us and had a dynamic personality that will be sorely missed,” Berman said. “She was a born leader and an extremely talented woman.”

Berman said she learned a lot from Reed, including how to fundraise and organize events. Reed started the Major Gifts program to raise money for Hadassah, primarily the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, and Reed was responsible for recruiting the founders and doing the fundraising. Berman eventually took over.

“She was very active and we had a donor luncheon and a big dinner dance; she did the décor… she had golden hands,” Berman said.

Reed also had a passion for entertaining. “She entertained with a flair that was second to none; she was an incredibly creative woman and she loved to help friends when they were celebrating events or [hosting] extravagant parties,” Paska said.

Even when living in Florida, her love for organizing and planning was exquisite. For her card games, everything matched perfectly, even the napkins, said Berman.

Reed had a great presence, and Paska said what stood out most was her mother’s “elegance, flamboyance and graciousness.”

Reed is survived by her daughters Holly Reed and Cindy Paska, grandchildren, Marisa Paska and Leo Paska, and longtime caregiver, Bessie Stokes.

A July 6 celebration of Reed’s life took place at the Woodlands Country Club in Tamarac, Fla. Reed will be interred at Beth David Cemetery in Elmont. A memorial service for Audrey and Larry Reed will take place on Aug. 13 at Temple Israel.