Gone West: Ona B. Rambo Reed

February 18 1925 - December 2nd,2023

Ona B Rambo Reed, daughter of Barney Steadman and Artie Iona Rambo, was born on February 18, 1925, in Gustine, (Comanche County) Texas, and passed away on December 2, 2023.

After graduating as valedictorian from Gustine high School in 1942, she attended Draughan’s Business College in Abilene.

Ona B contributed to the war effort by becoming “Rosie the Riveter” at Consolidated Aircraft (later General Dynamics) in Fort Worth. She helped build “B-24” Bombers and “C-87” Cargo Planes.

In 1949, Ona B married Bill R. Reed. The oil business took them to Venezuela for two years, 1956-1958. Their marriage of forty-five years ended with his death in 1994. Ona B insists her two children, Belinda Durrett, an attorney, and David Reed, an oil producer, are her two greatest accomplishments.

Another one of Ona B’s varied interests has been community theater. She is one of the founders (1979) of the Butterfield Stage Players Incorporated. She acted in their first production, “I’m Herbert.” Her last acting performance on stage was in 1986, playing the part made famous by Katherine Hepburn in “On Golden Pond.”

In 1997, Ona B served on the Cooke County Courthouse Restoration Committee. With assistance of the Cooke County Historical commission, the Cooke County Commissioners Court has been diligent in recent years in making necessary historical restorations of the courthouse. The county received a sizeable grant from the Texas Historic Courthouse grant program to complete its restoration.

Throughout most of her life, except for broken bones and an early cancer scare, Ona B has enjoyed good health.

“I do not have time to be sick,” Ona B said. “I have too much to do.”

Ona B was preceded in death by her parents, husband Earl Henry Smart, husband Billy Ray Reed, sister Peggy Teague, and grandson Clinton Ray Reed.

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