Victoria Wise Reed

Victoria Wise Reed passed away on Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Frisco, Texas. Born October 15, 1942, in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, she led a remarkable life of diverse accomplishments. A graveside memorial service will be held Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 12 noon at Lawrence County Memorial Gardens in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.

Victoria Wise Reed – world traveler, bibliophile, lifelong learner, fashionista, poet, Toastmaster, and grande dame – took her last breath on Saturday, March 7, 2026, with her brother, Jim, by her side, and brother and sister, Johnny and Velvet on the phone. She will be dearly missed and forever loved by many. A graveside memorial service will be officiated by Rev. Allen Black on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 12 noon, at Lawrence County Memorial Gardens in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.

Victoria Mae Wise was born on October 15, 1942 in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, to Nadine Elizabeth (Stricklin) and Herman Fletcher Wise. Victoria spent her childhood in Lawrenceburg, raised by her mother and maternal grandmother, Protilla Victoria Stricklin, with her younger brothers, James and Johnny. When Victoria was 20, she was asked to name her new baby sister, and she chose Velvet.

While attending Lawrence County High School, she was active in theater at school and in the community, and was a member of the band and extracurricular clubs. Victoria had her own weekly radio show “Vicki’s Pop Party” on WDXE’s Daily Teen DJ segment. Outside of school, she was a regular performer and production assistant on the Noel Ball TV show. Upon graduation in May 1960, Victoria attended Middle Tennessee State University, studying English and Drama.

Victoria’s early career was full of adventure. After working as an optician and travelling nationally as a beauty consultant with Revlon, Victoria returned to Tennessee and became the Curator and Director of Tours at the Country Music Hall of Fame while also working as a tour guide in the Nashville area. Later, she became involved with Starday-King Records, where she met Hal Neely, whom she would later marry. As Director of Public and Artist Relations, she worked with famous recording artists such as James Brown, Red Foxx, and Minnie Pearl. This role also involved business travel throughout Europe.

Following her career in entertainment management, Victoria held positions at Hospital Corporation of America, during which she worked for three months in Saudi Arabia assisting in the capacity of Educational Support Manager during the opening of a new hospital. She then transitioned her career in hospitality management to hotels in Nashville and Orlando. Starting as a Senior Account Executive, she rose to Assistant General Manager and then Director of Sales.

In 1993, at the age of 50, Victoria returned to school, completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Studies from Barry University and a Master of Arts degree in Adult Education from the University of South Florida. Victoria stayed at USF to work on her PhD in Adult Education, completing all coursework, lacking only the completion of her dissertation to receive her PhD. She finished her career as Admissions Director and later Experiential Learning Coordinator for the USF School of Nursing.

After Hal died, Victoria retired to Texas to be nearer to family. There, she met Billy Reed. They married in a lovely intimate ceremony surrounded by close family and friends.

Victoria was preceded in death by her parents and husbands. She is remembered by her brothers, Jim (Gin) and Johnny (Margaret); sister, Velvet (Ray); best friend, Ara (Richard) and their son Andrew; cousins, Leigh Anne (Tom), Joel (Dianne), and Susan; nephews, John (Emily), Fletcher, and Alex (Megan) and their children, Lily and Ollie; niece, Joe (Kristy) and their children, Ash and Gunner; her cousins’ children who lovingly called her Aunt Vic, Kim; Kevin (Erin) and their children, Elijah, Ella and Hattie; Shannon and his daughter, Chassi; and Callie and her children, Tillie, Dannie, Scout and Charlee; and countless friends.