Bessie Lee Reid, affectionately known as "Betsy," entered into eternal rest on July 28, 2026, at the age of 98. Betsy was born on February 22, 1928, in Madison County, Virginia, to Lucy M. Smith and Wesley Carter.

As a teenager, Betsy moved to the Washington, DC area to live with her older sister, Margaret, and complete her high school education. After a short time in Washington, she made her way to Montclair, New Jersey, where she began building the life that would become her legacy. She worked for the Schweppe family, spending many memorable seasons at their summer home in Maine — a chapter of her life she carried fond memories of for years to come.

Betsy became a longtime resident of Montclair, later moving to Parsippany to be closer to her job at Ballantine in Boonton, New Jersey. She fell in love with and married Clyde Reid, the love of her life, and the two settled together in Roselle, New Jersey, where they built a warm and loving home.

Betsy spent many years working at Ballantine Labs as a supervisor before retiring. She later found new purpose working with OnTime Transport in Roselle, NJ, as a dispatcher, where she took special joy in meeting new people and helping seniors and individuals with disabilities get where they needed to go.

A woman of deep faith and community spirit, Betsy was a devoted member of First Baptist Church Vauxhall in Union, where she served faithfully as an usher and was also active in the Women's Ministry. She was also a proud member of the Red Hat Society, embracing life with color, laughter, and friendship. In her final years, Betsy resided at Ashbrook Care and Rehabilitation Center, where she received care during her journey with memory loss.

Above all, Betsy was known for her love of family. She delighted in traveling, cooking, and baking, and she was never happier than when hosting family and friends in her home. She loved nothing more than gathering loved ones around her table to share a good meal, a favorite family recipe, and stories from her many travels and adventures. Her warmth, generosity, and storytelling left a lasting impression on everyone she met.

Betsy was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Clyde Reid Sr., who passed in 1988, and by all of her siblings: brothers Linwood Carter, John Carter, Edward Carter, and William Carter; and sisters Virginia Carter Stewart and Margaret Carter Brown.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory her daughter, Denise Jackson, and son Anthony Jackson (deceased); grandchildren Tyrone Hayes Jr. ("TJ") and Ebonie Miller-Ellis (Bruce Ellis); great-grandchildren Chamaigne Stone, Derrick Hargrove, Chyenne Hargrove, Tyree Hayes, and Tyson Hayes; great-great-grandchildren Skylar Stone-Iraheta, Sixx Stone-Iraheta, Asai Miller-Jean Baptist, Achilles Stone-Iraheta, and Blessing Valentine; niece Angela Akpapunam (Kenny); great-niece Jamila Akpapunam; great-nephew Jonathan Akpapunam; and a host of nieces, nephews, other family, and friends whose lives she touched.

Betsy's legacy is one of love, resilience, and family devotion. Her stories, her recipes, and her spirit of hospitality will live on in the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing her. Though she will be deeply missed, her memory will forever be a blessing to those she leaves behind.

*Rest in peace, Betsy. Your journey of love, laughter, and family will never be forgotten.*

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