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Hazel Jo Reed ’60

A picture of Hazel Reed

Hazel Jo Reed ’60, July 9, 2009, in Olympia, Washington. Josie earned a BA from Reed and a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University in mathematics. She was an instructor at California State University–Long Beach and at Oberlin College before joining the faculty at the Evergreen State College, where she taught for over 25 years. She also was a scholar of literature, creative writing, and comparative theologies. In her public obituary, we read that Josie had a knack for spotting the intellectual capabilities of her students and provided them with the support they needed to succeed. She was a gifted photographer who enjoyed recording local images as well as those on train trips she made across the U.S. She also was an exceptional knitter and cook. Throughout her life, she cared deeply for animals; her Washington farm has been designated as a sanctuary for domestic and wild animals. In writing to inform the college of Josie's death, daughter Anna Mumaw said: “My mother always said that her time at Reed was the happiest of her entire life, and that the college opened her eyes and her mind to all that was possible in life. Reed will always hold a special place in my sister's and my heart because of what it meant to our mother.”

Appeared in Reed magazine: March 2010

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