Obituary of Omeka Fatima Reed

OMEKA REED, 37 years of age, departed this life on Monday, December 20, 2010 at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. She was a very intelligent, articulate and beautiful young lady. She was born and raised in Philadelphia. She later moved to the Atlanta Metropolitan area. Even though she did not have biological children of her own, she loved children very much. Anytime that she would return to Philly to visit her parents, her brother, relatives and friends she would spend most of the time with her nephew Jah-Meir who was more like her son. He looked forward to flying to Atlanta to visit his favorite Aunt Omeka. Ms. Reed became involved in Politics and Civic affairs at a very young age. In 1979 when she was only 6 years of age she worked along with her father in the Primary Election for Curtis Jones Jr. and Chaka Fattah when they ran for City Commissioners of Elections of Philadelphia. When Omeka was 12 years old she was elected President of the Student Council at Samuel Gompers Elementary School in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia. She was a member of Triumph Baptist Church in the Logan section of Philadelphia. Omeka volunteered 3 consecutive years for the (UNCF) United Negro College Fund Tel-e-thon. She served as a Mentor for a young girl in the (T.G.I.F) Thank God I'm Female program sponsored by the Philadelphia Anti-Drug/Anti-Violence Network. She graduated from Barbizon Modeling School in Bala Cynwyd, PA. She attended and completed the world famous Phil-a-Danco School of Dance in West Philadelphia. Omeka worked as a Summer Intern for the late U.S. Congressman the Honorable Lucien E. Blackwell. She was the Co-Host of the very popular Teen Talk Radio Show entitled The Way It Is on WDAS A.M. Radio Station, sometimes she served as Co-Host on the Cody Anderson Radio Talk Show. Omeka received Financial Scholarships from (UNCF), The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and WDAS Radio Station. She was offered a Scholarship to attend Penn State University but decided on attending an historically black university Spellman College in Atlanta, Georgia from 1991 to 1993. Omeka returned to Phila. and was employed as a Member Services Representative at Independence Blue Cross, A Member Services Representative at the Board of Pensions for Presbyterian Churches and a Sales Consultant for Verizon. She moved back to Atlanta in September of 2000. She was employed as an Account Executive for Amica Insurance Company, an Account Executive at Equivax of Atlanta. She was employed at SAGE as an Accounting Software Account Executive where she received numerous Awards as an outstanding Sales employee. Recently she was employed for AT&T Advertising and Publishing in Atlanta, Georgia until her untimely passing. Even though she was employed full-time, she was able to receive her Associate Degree in Business Administration, University of Phoenix. She was only 7 credits away from receiving her Bachelors Degree. She was engaged to get married to Mr. Greg Gatling. Four years ago she purchased a brand new home in Buford, Georgia. Omeka leaves to mourn Greg, her fiancee, and his 2 children Xzavier and Takyrah. Omeka is survived by her parents Janice and Michael Reed, her brother Michael Jr., her grandmother Agnes Reed-Edwards, a great Aunt Frances, 2 nephews Jah-Meir and Semaj, a host of Unlces, Aunts, Cousins, family and friends. Viewing Monday, Dec. 27, 2010 8:30 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. Morris Brown AME Church, 25th and Montgomery Ave. Services 10 A.M. Interment will be in Merion Memorial Park, Bala Cynwyd, PA.