Abbott Resident Fulfills Bucket List, Meets British Pen Pal

By Tammy Moore Teague
Friends and family gathered in the home of Donald and Helen Williams of Abbott on Thursday evening for a meet-and-greet. Their guests of honor, a couple from England, and the story that brought them here is nothing short of amazing!
It all started with a Mission Trip with Grand Avenue Baptist Church, 31 years ago. Church-goer, Mary Fuller LaFoon, had traveled to England and met a young lady, a then single, struggling mother, Veronica Mallyon Reed. Reed reflected on that initial encounter, “I remember Mary praying with me out at a windmill. It’s like the heavens opened up.”
LaFoon returned home and gave a prayer request to the church. That request was for Reed and her young family. Williams, a fellow church member, followed up with LaFoon after services and inquired about this young lady’s address. “That was in November, by December we had already exchanged Christmas cards and we just kept writing. It’s been a wonderful friendship,” stated Williams.
With the passing of years, Reed and her husband Vaughn, began thinking about traveling to the United States to see LaFoon and to meet Williams. It wasn’t until Reed’s mother passed away that she began thinking on living more in the moment, and making those moments count. “Life’s too short,” Reed said. “Mary is now in her 80’s, we’re getting older and so is Helen. We needed to take this opportunity.” Naturally, Williams wanted to meet Reed as well, and had included the reunion on her bucket list.

The couple ultimately decided to make the expensive journey, consisting of a grueling 24-hour flight time. They arrived here on Monday, October 1 and plan to stay until Thursday, October 11.
Reed has two children, one daughter and one son, and now three grandchildren. She spoke good advice, in a heavy British accent: “Don’t put things off. Family and life are more important than anything else, live for the day.”