Legacy Society
Bill and Suzanne Reed
Bill and Suzanne Reed have lived in a lot of places, but for them and their family, Beaver Island is home. “It was the one constant place for us, through all of the moves and other places we’ve lived,” Suzanne reflects. “Even our sons, who are now in their forties and living across the country, identify Beaver Island as our family homestead.”
Bill worked in the technology field for many years and later owned and operated a landscaping company. Suzanne was a school librarian. During summers while Bill was working, she would take the boys to Beaver Island to spend the whole summer with their grandparents, Joe and Marilyn Reed, as well as other relatives and friends.
Joe and Marilyn Reed are familiar names on Beaver Island. They purchased their home on the North Shore in 1974 and became involved in many things, like an annual community picnic held before the 4th of July parade. In 2024, Bill and Suzanne’s sons, Joe and Marilyn’s grandsons, revived that community event to the delight of locals and visitors alike.
Bill and Suzanne are active and enjoy being engaged in their community. They’ve lived and volunteered in Colorado, Kansas, New Jersey, and now Illinois, where they split their time between Chicago and Beaver Island.
Inspired by others, Bill and Suzanne continue the family tradition of giving back themselves, modeling this for their children and grandchildren. “I grew up with it, you know,” Bill shares and Suzanne agrees. Bill’s parents “were always giving back. I remember they held a family meeting in the 90’s to talk about starting the Beaver Island Enrichment Fund,” at the Charlevoix County Community Foundation. Joe and Marilyn Reed were some of the founding donors to that fund, which now provides grants to support Beaver Island every year. Bill and Suzanne have also been supporters of the fund since it was established. More recently, they decided to include the Beaver Island Enrichment Fund at the Community Foundation in their estate plan. In so many ways, Bill and Suzanne Reed continue the family tradition of supporting the Island community they love, now and for generations to come.