Benefit planned for Stockport family who lost mother, grandmother

FAIRFIELD — A pool tournament and silent auction is being planned to benefit a Stockport family involved in a car crash last month in which two people died and three more were seriously injured.

Sherry Reid, 50, of Stockport, and her mother Judith Ellis, 73, of Ollie, died in the crash just after 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26 just south of New London. Also injured in the crash were Reid’s husband Sean Reid, 48, as well as Carol Johnson, 65, of Fairfield and Tammi Ellis, 48, of Ollie.

Sean Reid has worked at Faircast Inc. in Fairfield for 30 years as a quality inspector, and after his co-workers learned of the devastating accident, they organized a GoFundMe to support the family. Sean and Sherry have two children: Jenna, 17, and Jake, 15, who attend Van Buren Community Schools.

Laura Guezimane, a human resources assistant at Faircast, said Tuesday that Sean still is in the intensive care unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

“He’s doing better, but he’s not fully recovered,” she said, noting that Sean likely has broken ribs and vertebrae.

Guezimane said the car crash occurred as Sean and Sherry were on their way home from Black Friday shopping. Their children were not riding with them because they were staying with Sean’s mother.

“They normally do everything together as a family,” Guezimane said. “They’re very tight-knit, loving family.”

Guezimane said the purpose of the GoFundMe account is to cover the family’s funeral expenses and any other expenses that may arise. Their goal is to raise $50,000, and as of Tuesday, the fund had raised $9,070.

In addition to the GoFundMe, Faircast has organized a pool tournament and silent auction for Jan. 1 at Mad Hatter Billiards in Fairfield. The event will be from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. All of the proceeds from the event will go to the Reid family.

“We want to give a shout out to Sharon [Stinogel] for hosting this,” Guezimane said. “We’re asking businesses to donate to the silent auction, and to have a team in the pool tournament.”

The general public can also bring donations to the family to Faircast, located at 905 W. Depot Ave. in Fairfield.

Guezimane said she and the HR staff see or talk to Sean’s mother almost every day to get an update on his condition.

“We send him messages to tell him we’re thinking of him and that we support him,” Guezimane said.

Guezimane said Sean is able to text back, though he keeps the messages short. She said he was on a ventilator for a few days after the accident, and after he got off it, the family informed him of the passing of his wife and mother-in-law.

“Sean’s mom is stepping in to try to plan the funerals and take care of the kids,” Guezimane said.

Hemi Cal-El, a Faircast employee who organized the GoFundMe, said she is new to the company, and that everyone there has nothing but praise for Sean and his family.

“Everybody knows them,” she said. “The whole family would go out together, like going to the store together. They are so nice, and always give back to the community.”

Cal-El said that, when she worked at Mad Hatter’s, she remembers serving Sherry.

“She was a super funny person,” Cal-El said. “That family lit up everybody’s day.”

For more information on how to help the Reid family, contact Faircast at 641-209-4100, or email hemi.cal-el@faircastinc.com.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com