Frederick Eugene Reed Jr., MD Charleston - Frederick Edgar Reed, Jr. MD, 76, of Charleston SC, husband of Grace Dugas Battey Reed, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, December 12, 2019. Family will receive friends at home at 65 Lenwood Blvd in Charleston on Monday, December 16, 2019 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 4, 2020 at 2:00 pm at First (Scots) Presbyterian Church, 53 Meeting Street. Interment will be private. Son of the late Frederick Edgar Reed and Jean Cochran Reed, Rick was born in Greenwood SC and grew up in nearby Greenville. He attended Greenville High School and completed premedical studies at Davidson College. After obtaining his MD at the Medical University of SC, Rick went on to surgical residencies at Georgia Baptist and Scottish Rite Hospitals, followed by a fellowship in Scoliosis and Sports Medicine at Children's Hospital Medical Center in Boston. After completing his training, he entered national service and served active duty as a member of the US Navy Medical Corps during the Vietnam era. Over the years Dr. Reed served his profession, his community, his church and his country with distinction. During a medical career spanning nearly four decades, Rick served as Clinical Professor of Orthopedics and Pediatrics at MUSC, practiced on the staffs of Roper, St. Francis and East Cooper hospitals, and was also active in private practice. He touched countless lives in his years of caring for the children of the Lowcountry. His clinical focus encompassed all aspects of musculoskeletal care, from infants to young adults. His orthopedic expertise and passion for early intervention led to his co-designing the Charleston Bending Brace, a breakthrough nonsurgical treatment for childhood scoliosis, as well as promoting its use internationally. He was also proficient in the management of other childhood deformities, including clubfoot, and helped train healthcare professionals in proper casting techniques. Rick's dedication to orthopedic health in children was reflected in his own life-long commitment to health and fitness. He played tennis and basketball for Davidson while pursuing pre-medical studies there. He enjoyed hiking in the mountains of North Carolina where he maintained a much beloved cabin. In recent years he became an avid pickleball player and helped spread its popularity throughout the Lowcountry, even donating the funds to build one of the first public pickleball courts on the peninsula. Rick brought an infectious enthusiasm and boundless energy to his many pastimes, and cherished the many friendships he made through those activities. Professional positions included the role of President for: the SC Orthopedic Association, Michael Hoke Orthopedic Society, Charleston Orthopedic Society, and Charleston County Medical Society. He also served on various boards and committees for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, South Carolina Medical Association, Southern Orthopedic Association, and the South Carolina Governor's Council on Physical Fitness. Over the course of his career he published numerous articles and policy statements, participated in multiple research projects, and received many awards, including the Roe Award for the best article published in the Journal of the SCMA. He also founded and was director of the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit at Roper Hospital. Rick served his community in a myriad of ways, such as donating his time to ensure the health of student athletes through preparticipation physical exams. For many years he served as the team physician for the College of Charleston men's basketball team. He was also honored as the SCMA's Physician of the Year for Community Service, received the Family Medicine Physician Teaching Award, as well as the Service Award from the Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In addition, he helped champion the building of a safe and handicap-accessible playground at Brittlebank Park. For more than a decade, Rick made an annual trip to Haiti to share his medical knowledge and expertise. He was also one of the first American doctors to enter Haiti after the devastating earthquake of 2010. He was a strong supporter of many local organizations, including the Coastal Conservation League, the Charleston Library Society, and the Native Plant Society, and was a member of the Widows and Orphans Society, Scottish Society, and the Waring Library Society. Rick was an Elder at First (Scots) Presbyterian Church and, besides chairing and serving on a number of committees over the years, he cherished his role there as a Youth Advisor and Sunday School teacher. He was a community activist dedicated to environmental causes and was recently honored in a special town council proclamation for service to his beloved Sullivan's Island, where he dedicated his energy and financial resources to many island-area conservation efforts. He also advocated passionately for health and wellness, promoting programs such as the Roper St. Francis Community Health Initiative for Obesity Prevention in Children. He is survived by his wife, Grace Reed, of Charleston; two daughters, Christine Ellen Reed (Vaughn Johnson) of Oakland CA, and Lee Cochran Reed of Charleston SC; one son, Daniel Cochran Reed (Mandy Swann) of Roanoke VA; one sister, Katherine Reed Harmon (Lawrence) of Salem SC; and three brothers, Benjamin Allen Reed (Martha), John William Reed (Gretchen), and Timothy Cochran Reed (Susan), all of whom reside in Greenville SC. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one Rick's favorite organizations: Charleston Parks Conservancy, Coastal Conservation League, The Spirit of Charleston, Charleston Library Society, or First (Scots) Presbyterian Church (Youth Activity Fund). Visit our guestbook at
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