Obituary of Patricia M. Burns Reed

Patricia Margaret (Burns) Reed; May 27, 1964; October 13, 2018.

Patti Reed was born on May 27, 1964 to Walter Joseph and Claire Margaret (Maxwell) Burns. She spent most of her youth in Stamford, Vermont until moving with her parents and her brother Jody (Walt) to North Bennington. She attended elementary school in Stamford and then Mount Anthony Union High School. An avid reader, as a young child she read The Little House on the Prairie and decided she wanted to call  our parents Ma and Pa although the rest of us, Patti included, had been calling them Mom and Daddy. Being the wonderful parents they were, they just went with the flow. Running errands Patti and Pa would go to the Chef Hat Restaurant in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Although they never told Ma about that but, knowing our mother she probably knew about the side trips. She enjoyed going to harpsichord and other concerts as well as Shakespeare plays at theatres in Williamstown with her sister Mary. She discovered that as she and her brother Jody ran through the woods that she was not allergic to poison ivy but he certainly was, so the question remains, did she use that to her advantage? She also spent many hours with her sister Bridget discussing and working on many recipes and genealogy of the family. She loved children and cooking.  This led her to working in both food and child care. After culinary school, while working for the catering service at University of Vermont (UVM,) she met and became best friends for life with Chris Hynes and his future wife Phillis.  She spent many years as a chef in Charlottesville Virginia with catering services and was at one time, an assistant to Sara Moulton on a Food Network show. She always said if you paid attention you would catch a quick glance of her in the background! Several people mentioned that Sara said on a show that she received the following tip from her assistant Patti Burns. She also traveled for the company even taking a wedding cake on a plane to present it at the reception. She was also gifted with the ability to create beautiful ice sculptures. She also had an opportunity to work with the cruise industry and worked on several ships. Once while in a foreign port she was invited to a colleagues’ home for the night and dinner. In the morning she discovered that the colleagues’ father’s business was raising and selling dogs for the food market. Patti said “Oh! Is that what we had for dinner last night?” “Yes” her colleague said. Patti then said she thought to herself well, it tasted good lol!   As time went on she decided to take a break from the professional food world and became a Nanny working and traveling with several families. This adventure took her to the Syracuse New York area. In 2006 while at an after-church function at LaFayette Alliance Church she met the love of her life Eric Martin Reed. They married February 10, 2007 and shared over 11 years of loving our Lord, laughter, tears, and adventures together. Their love shone so bright it could not be missed and we all received the benefit of the joy.

Oh the stories we could tell! We will continue to share stories of her through the years as we keep her legacy alive through her friends and family.

She is survived by her husband Eric, daughter of her heart Ericka Reed, mother-in-law Barbara Claflin MacDougall, father-in-law Marty (Rita) Reed, her sisters Mary Coffin, Bridget (Lee) Billingsley, Brother Walter (Sharon) Burns, Best friends and family by heart Chris & Phillis Hynes, brothers-in-law Andy (Heather) Reed, Jeff (Jamie) Reed, sisters-in-law Meridith (Jon) Styer, Kelsey (Eddie) Logozinski. Nieces & nephews Rachel (Robin) Creamer, BJ aka William (Brooke) Burns, RJ aka Raymond (Deborah) Wonnacott, Katie (Jonathan) Danner, Kelly (James) McDaniel, Rosemary (Neil) Hynes Koul, Naomi, Grace & Lydia Hynes.  Patti was a GREAT Aunt and well as a Great Aunt to Ireland, Briar and Etta Creamer, Byron, Talia & Lyta Danner, Patrick Marchbanks, Brady, Zachary & Nicholas McDaniel, Blakely & Brentley Burns, Johnny Malick, Brandon Ostman, Kayla, Austin, Joseph & Ethan Reed. As well as many friends all over this country and her church family at LaFayette Alliance.

Patti left us unexpectedly on October 13, 2018. She will be missed by all.

A celebration of Patti’s life will be at LaFayette Alliance Church, visitation Thursday October 18^th from 5-7 and with a service Friday October 19^th 11 am. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the church.

Ballweg & Lunsford Funeral Home has care of the arrangements.

Please visit www.ballweg-lunsford.com to share an online memorial