Longtime Sheridan, Wyo., resident, Vanchie L. Reed, 89, died Saturday, March 8, 2003, at West Park Village senior residence, in Billings.  She had moved there in August 2002, to be near her family.

Vanchie Louise Ball was born Nov. 14, 1913, in Sheridan, the oldest child of George and Myrtle Ball.  She attended Sheridan county schools and worked at a variety of jobs before her marriage.  On March 14, 1933, she married Lester C. Reed in Hardin.  They lived in Montana for a short time and on various ranches in the Sheridan area before settling on a small farm south of Sheridan where they resided until moving into town in May 1981.

Many students from Woodland Park, Sheridan College, Sheridan High School, and Coffeen School may remember her as "the lunch lady" as she spent 25 years employed in those school cafeterias, retiring in 1981 as head of Coffeen's lunch room.

In retirement, she delighted in frequent trips to her beloved Big Horn mountains, spending time with family and friends, and taking ceramics classes, quilting, crocheting and other projects.  Her vegetable gardens were prolific and she was proud of her roses.  But her greatest passion was cooking and those who visited her never went home empty-handed.  No family dinner was complete without her homemade pies and rolls.  Vanchie was a charter member of McCormick Homemakers Club, a group she enjoyed until her move to Billings.  She had also volunteered at the Senior Citizens Center after she retired.

She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Myrtle and Charles Riggle, Hebron, Ind., and Mission, Texas; and son and daughter-in-law Charlie and Audrey Reed of Billings; seven grandchildren, Tim and Jeff Reed of Billings, Anna (Ruben) Santos of Lowell, Ind., Charles (Donnelle) Riggle of Crown Point, Ind., Lester Riggle of Maui, Hawaii, and Jennifer Keiser of Madison, Wis.; and five great-grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Kenneth Nelson of Joliet; numerous nieces and nephews; and also by her best friend Mary Morel of Sheridan, Wyo.

She was also "Grandma Vanchie" to her daughter-in-law's family in Gillette, Bill and Eileen Suchor and Bill and Sherry Appel and their families, Angela (Jon) Kennedy and Melanie (Tom) Sylte, all of Gillette, Tiffany (Brian) Cholez of Littleton, Colo., Brett (Christine) Suchor of Lafayette, Colo., and Jennifer Suchor of San Francisco.  She considered the seven great-grandsons in that extended family hers as well.

Vanchie will be remembered for her kindness, generosity and her interest in others as she gave unselfishly of herself.  Like many who lived through the Depression era, she didn't believe in spending a lot on herself but was so giving to others.  She was a loving mother, mother-in-law, grandma, great-grandma, and friend and will be greatly missed by many.

The family honors her request that no services be held.  Cremation has taken place and private family inurnment will be held in Sheridan at a later date.  If friends desire, memorials may be made to Sheridan Senior Citizens Center, 211 Smith St., Sheridan, WY, 82801, to Big Sky Hospice, PO Box 35033, Billings, MT 59107, or to the charity of one's choice.

Her family expresses appreciation to the wonderful staff at West Park Village and to Hospice personnel for their loving care and assistance the past few weeks.