Remembering Phillip Kyle Reed
A comrade in the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement, Phillip “Phil” Kyle Reed, succumbed Oct. 11, 2026. The Crystal Springs resident was 77. Funeral services are as follows:
Visitation: Thurs., Oct. 15, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., Stringers Funeral Home, Crystal Springs, MS.
Funeral: Fri., Oct. 16, 10:30 a.m., New Horizon Church International, Jackson, MS, with interment immediately following at Crystal Springs Cemetery in Crystal Springs, MS.
Phil was born April 24, 1949, to Ralph and Vera Mae Reed in Anderson, IN. He was the youngest of six brothers and one sister.
Phil graduated from Anderson High School in 1967. After high school, he attended Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics in 1971. He then attended Miami University in Oxford, OH, where he received his Master of Arts in Mathematics in 1974.
In 1975, he attended a seminar where he heard a speaker by the name of John Perkins. Inspired by that message, Phil came to Jackson to work for four months at Voice of Calvary Ministries. During that time, his belief in God was challenged and he was encouraged by men in the community to have a personal relationship with Christ.
After dedicating his life to Christ, the Lord called him to ministry full time in west Jackson. It was also here that he met the love of his life, Marcia Engquist, in 1976. Phil and Marcia were married November 26, 1977 in Jackson, MS. Together they dedicated their lives to serving the Lord and building community in west Jackson. It was here they raised their three children, Matthew, Erin, and Kristin.
Phil helped found Voice of Calvary Fellowship Church and became the full-time pastor. He served in that role for 22 years. It was during this time that he attended Reformed Theological Seminary and received his Master of Divinity in 1989. In 1999, he was asked to transition to the role of president of Voice of Calvary Ministries, a nonprofit in west Jackson affiliated with the church. He served in this role for 20 years.
During his time at VOCF and VOCM, he was instrumental in beginning several community-based programs. These included the Fellowship of Hope, a coalition of inner-city churches working for the betterment of the communities they serve, and the Amos Network, an interfaith/interracial community action organization.
He worked tirelessly throughout his career to bring together people of all racial, political, and economic backgrounds for discussion and understanding of common ground. Phil liked to say that in 2019, he “reprioritized” his life by leaving his formal role in ministry, but he continued to dedicate his life to further the gospel of Jesus Christ through the church and the witness of justice and reconciliation.
In addition to his work for the Lord, Phil enjoyed many other activities including the church softball league, coaching his son’s little league team, running, biking, or any type of exercise. Some of his best times were when he took his family to the houseboat on Dale Hollow Lake in TN. His hobbies included wood working and he could make just about anything he was asked to make. He was a perfectionist and wasn’t finished until it was done right.
He adored his seven grandchildren and he enjoyed all the time he got to spend with them and spoiled them as much as he could. He was always up for doing whatever they asked, including wrestling on the floor and jumping on the trampoline.
Phil was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019. He fought with as much tenacity, strength, and passion he put into everything. He never gave up or gave in. With an unwavering Faith in God, he fought and encouraged others along the way. He remained faithful to the Lord and grew closer to God through it all. He might have had Parkinson’s but Parkinson’s did not have him.
In 2023, Voice of Calvary Ministries honored Phil and Marcia by dedicating a park in west Jackson by renaming it Reed’s Park on Claiborne.
Phil is preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Vera Mae Reed; brothers, Ralph, Kenny, Morris, and Larry; and sister, Shirley.
Phil is survived by his bride of 49 years, Marcia Reed; son, Matthew Reed (Tina); daughters, Erin Eady (Eric) and Kristin Sanders (Jon); grandchildren: Jackson, Katelyn, Evan, Riley, Kelsie, Avery, and Aubrey-Jane; brothers, Ronnie Reed (Carol) and Tom Reed (Sandy); and many other family members and close friends.
