Robert E. Reed, Jr. was born and raised in Tyler, Texas. Married with one son, he attended Tyler Junior College and the University of Texas at Tyler, and was a member of Leadership Tyler Class 23. He is active in community service and several local and national organizations. While he enjoys writing, his full-time occupation is in software development. Reed has always had an interest in local history. He has collected Tyler memorabilia for many years, amassing a large collection that has been featured in interviews by local media, as well as an article in "Texas Highways" magazine. He frequently speaks to groups of all ages about Tyler's history, as well as gives walking history tours of the city.