Mr. Keith Lynn Reed, 53, of Readyville, Tennessee passed away on Monday, January 6, 2025. One of the last of the old traditionals, Keith was born at Good Samaritan Hospital in Woodbury, Tennessee on Monday, May 3, 1971. His family goes far back into Cannon County history, and it doesn't take that many generations to get there. His grandparents, Clifton and Ruby Turney, owned a house on the original Statesville highway, and from the genealogy to the traditions, Keith was deeply engrained in Cannon County.

It was more than a place. It was his home. Born and raised here, Keith took up with one of the great traditions in Cannon County getting swept up with horses. As a child, he became interested in horses, and he even elected to live with his grandparents, Ernest and Irma Reed, just to be closer to the horses and learning all he could. His fascination only grew when Carlton Pitts started him off working horses on Locke Creek. From there, Keith's success skipped the walking and went straight into a run.

From 1985-2024, Keith rode, trained, and showed horses. He placed on the State and World Championship levels with the horses he showed, and Tennessee Walking Horses were his specialty. He broke, trained, and rode horses in the Celebration and had countless accolades to his name. Just listing them all off would probably end up being a 20-minute conversation. However, Keith liked to keep the pot stirred, and one time, he competed with a horse from a Spotted Saddle bloodline that wasn't spotted. If that wasn't enough to rile up the horse crowd, Keith went on to win with that horse in the Spotted Saddle Division.

That carefree and fun-loving personality attracted people to him, and he had a group of about 11 or 12 friends that he would get together with to go trail riding. He could cut up, kid around, and pick at you with the best of them. He, Jerry Melton, and Russell Duggin decided to keep the good times rolling with several consecutive trips to the Biltmore year after year. They all had an interest in history outside of horses, and that drew Keith back close to his Cannon County roots.

Keith took a keen interest in family lineage and old possessions. He collected antiques, and since he enjoyed farming hay for his horses, John Deere memorabilia rated toward the top of his list of antiques to have. Yet, there was one more interest Keith shared with his grandfather Ernest, and it led him to follow Ernest's footsteps all the more closely. 

Having a soft heart for children, Keith found himself surrounded by kindred spirits becoming a Custodian with the Rutherford County School System. During his almost 30 years working there, the majority of his time was spent at Oakland School, but in recent years, he was transferred to Central Magnet. Being around kids and seeing them chase their dreams just like he had brought Keith a sense of peace and joy in life. They also didn't mind sharing a joke or two and didn't take themselves so seriously.

In Matthew 18:3, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." Keith had the faith of a child and didn't let himself grow up so much that he took things too seriously. Horses, history, having a good time, and helping others summed up his life, but he kept on dreaming and aimed to do so much more with his life than just live. For 53 years, he thrived in his place on this earth, but the most important Hs in how he lived his life were heart and home.

Preceding him in death were his father, Melvin Gail Reed; and grandparents Ernest and Irma Reed and Clifton and Ruby Turney. He is survived by his mother, Annette Turney Reed; brothers, Marlin Reed and James (Christy) Reed; nieces and nephews, Miguel Espinosa, Annie Grace Reed, and Isabella Claire Reed; and countless friends he has met over the years through the Tennessee Walking Horse Association and Rutherford County School System.

Visitation will be held at Gentry-Smith Funeral Home on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 from 4-8 pm. Funeral services will be Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 11 am in the Gentry-Smith Funeral Home chapel. Interment will be in Riverside Garden. 

A scholarship has been established in Keith’s memory for those who would like to honor his legacy by contributing to provide educational opportunities for individuals in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry. Please make checks payable to the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders Foundation and note that it’s for the Keith Reed Scholarship. Your donations can be dropped off at Gentry-Smith Funeral Home or mailed to:

Keith Reed Scholarship
c/o TWHBEA
PO Box 28
Lewisburg, TN 37091