Sidney R. Nelis

Sidney Rita (Mauchly) Reed Nelis, 69, died September 14, 2008 at 8:00 pm in her Lower Alsace Township residence. She was the wife of Patrick James Nelis, Sr., whom she married December 28, 1990. Born in Collegeville, Montgomery County on January 31, 1939, she was a daughter of the late John William Mauchly and Mary Augsta (Walzl) Mauchly. She was also the step daughter of the late Kathleen (McNulty) Mauchly. She was a 1956 graduate of Mount St. Joseph's Academy, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, a graduate of Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia and a received her teachers certification from Alvernia College, Reading in 1989. Sidney was a teacher for 12 years with the Pennside Preschool, Reading. She is also survived by seven children: James E. Reed of Philadelphia; Jennifer H. Reed, wife of Daniel Stanchfield of Philadelphia; John G. Reed, husband of Esther Mera of Houston, Texas; Jessica W. Reed, wife of Timothy L. Randolph of Wilmington, Delaware; William M. Reed, husband of Elizabeth A. (Long) Reed of Philadelphia; Elizabeth K. Reed of Philadelphia and Mary Ellen C. Reed of Philadelphia. Other survivors include two step-children; Patrick J. Nelis Jr., of Hartford, Conn., and Paul C., husband of Elizabeth (Roberts) Nelis of Chicago, Ill. Six siblings also survive her: James Mauchly of Plymouth, New Hampshire; Sarah (Mauchly) Fitzsimmons of Flourtown, Montgomery County; Kathleen (Mauchly) McNulty of Ambler; Virginia (Mauchly) Calcerano of Scranton; J. William Mauchly of Berwyn and Eva Mauchly of Ambler. There are also eleven grandchildren. Memorial services will be held Wednesday at 11:00 am in Pennside Presbyterian Church, 253 North 25th Street, Mount Penn, with the Rev. David J. Duquette officiating. Burial will be private in Rose Hill Cemetery, Ambler, Montgomery County. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Nature Conservancy, www.nature.org, 4245 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203-1606 or American Farmland Trust, www.farmland.org, 1200 18th St. NW., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036 or The Salvation Army, www.salvationarmy.org, 440 West Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading is in charge of arrangements. For online condolences, visit www.kuhnfuneralhome.com