Edward J. Reading Jr., also known as “Deacon Ed,” passed away at his home in Lake Mohawk on Friday evening, April 21, 2023, at the age of 83.
Deacon Ed was born on Aug. 23, 1939, in Rahway to Edward J. Reading Sr. and Helen (Goggin) Reading. He graduated from St. Mary’s Grammar School and the friends he made in kindergarten there remained his close friends his entire life: Jake, Pete, Bennie, Rich, Jerry, Charlie and Larry.
Deacon Ed played football for four years at Rahway High School, the source of many of his favorite stories, and enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduation, the source of the remainder of his favorite stories. Ed served from 1958 to 1961 and spent most of his enlisted time at Camp Lejeune, N.C., as an armament foreman.
Upon discharge, Deacon Ed began a long career at AlliedSignal.
Ed married the love of his life, Nancy, on June 17, 1989, in Rahway, a few months shy of his 50th birthday. Ed never liked to rush things.
Ed and Nancy moved to Lake Mohawk where they lived for 33 years, raising their two daughters and enjoying life on the lake in all seasons.
Deacon Ed was ordained a Roman Catholic Deacon in 1995, a calling that meant everything to him. He initially served at St. Kateri Tekakwitha in Sparta until the need for a Deacon led to a temporary assignment at St. Thomas of Aquin in Ogdensburg - a temporary assignment that lasted more than 25 years. Deacon Ed was still serving at St. Thomas at his passing and still “temporarily assigned” in the records.
For those of us who knew Deacon Ed, however, one of our most cherished memories will be of Christmas Eves when he would don his Santa Claus suit to appear at the end of the children’s Mass at St. Thomas to kneel and say a prayer at the manger and receive a blessing from Fr. John before starting on his journey to distribute gifts around the world. Adults loved it as much as the children.
Ed was the moving force behind the second career of his wife, who he felt certain should be an attorney. Ed retired early from AlliedSignal to play “Mr. Mom” for three years while Nancy attended law school. His wife to this day is grateful that he could see what she could not.
Once the children were older, Ed began working as a tour guide at Sterling Hill Mining Museum, giving daily tours to schoolchildren from all over the state. Later he added a second job as a transportation aide at SCARC for special-needs children.
Deacon Ed is survived by his brothers, Jim Reading and his wife, Helen, and Beau Reading and his wife, Patsy, and his sister and best friend, Kathy McLoughlin and her husband, Mac.
Ed was predeceased by his sister Jane Kern and her husband, Dick.
He is also survived by his wife of 33 years, Nancy; daughters, Meghan Turchioe and her husband, Paul, and Allison Reading and her husband, Michael Silvidi; granddaughter, Millie Turchioe; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A wake was held April 25 at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Church, 427 Stanhope Road, Sparta, and a Mass of Christian Burial on April 26 at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, followed by internment at Sparta Cemetery.