Ella Kay Reed, 79, of Grafton, ND, and formerly of Cando, ND passed away Sunday, April 2, 2017 at the Lutheran Sunset Home in Grafton, ND. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 10, 2017 at the Christian Fellowship Church in Cando, ND with Pastor Les Koenig officiating. Visitation will be on Sunday, April 9, 2017 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm with a 5:00 pm family service at the Dunnigan-Dix Funeral Home and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday. Burial will take place at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Cando, ND. Casket bearers will be Jim Howard, Ron Anfinson, Tim McKenna, Kim Howard Cindy Schaefer and Jordan Reed. Music will be provided by Catherine Anfinson.

Ella Kay Howard was born April 11, 1937 to Milton and Lura (Hinegardner) Howard in Cando ND.  Her given name was Lurella Kathryn but she was known to family and friend as Ella Kay. She grew up in the Cando area and graduated from Cando Public School.  Soon after graduation on July 7, 1955 she married Donald Eugene Reed in the Cando Brethren Church and continued to live and raise their 3 children in Cando where she made lifelong friends.

Ella Kay worked for the Sheriff's Department for approximately 13 years.  She really enjoyed the work and loved working with her co-workers who were very supportive.  Later she worked for Towner County Social Service until she moved to Oregon in 1988.  She lived briefly in Oregon before returning to her home state where she accepted a job with Walsh County Social Services.  Ella Kay worked and lived in the Grafton area until she moved to heaven.

After retirement Ella Kay spent time between living with her daughter Kathlee and her daughter Janelle who lived in Oregon.  She loved to do crafts such as ceramics and made many beautiful glass blocks which she gave to everyone she knew.  She considered family and friends a valuable treasure and cherished her relationships with them.  Most of her family lived far away which made it difficult for her to spend as much time as she wanted to with everyone.  However, she was able to attend all of the Grand Children's big events.  On September 3, 2015 she was blessed with her first great-grandchild, Harper, who she was very proud of and loved seeing pictures of her.

Ella Kay is survived by her children, Don Reed of Gillette WY; Janelle Evans of North Bend, OR; and Kathlee McCash, of Grafton, ND; 8 grandchildren, Joseph and Jared Evans, Kayla Ebner and Jordan Reed, Matt, Mel, Konrad and Jackie McCash; great-grandchild, Harper Ebner  and a brother Bobby Howard of Elkhart, IN.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Milton and Lura Howard and brother Jacky Howard.