Longtime Madison Bartender Dies While Trying To Cross Florida Highway

Beloved Madison bartender Mary Reed was killed while trying to cross a highway in Fort Myers, Florida, Wednesday night, a friend confirmed.

Reed, 55, who bartended at the Crystal Corner Bar, Ale Asylum, Brothers Three, and most recently the Dive Inn, wrote on Facebook that it was her first vacation in 15 years.

A story by ABC-TV station WWSB in Sarasota didn’t name Reed in a story Thursday, but said a Wisconsin woman was killed after being hit by two vehicles while walking in the lane of traffic, trying to cross San Carlos Boulevard.

It said a pedestrian was hit by a white sedan heading south. “A second car just behind them swerved to avoid her but also hit the woman, who died at the scene,” it said.

The report said the driver of the white sedan fled the scene and is being sought by the Florida Highway Patrol.

A story in the Fort Myers News-Press said the crash happened shortly after 7 p.m.

It said the second car was driven by a 58-year-old Fort Myers woman and was southbound on San Carlos behind the first vehicle.

A patrol report said the second driver swerved to avoid the pedestrian but hit the woman with the right front of the vehicle. It also said that a local business surveillance video showed the suspected vehicle moments after the crash going south on San Carlos.

The report said the pedestrian was from Cottage Grove.

Reed’s friend, Gene Cook, said Reed was with her sister, Laura Reed Blew, when she was struck.

“Mary cherished her daughters and family, was a loyal friend, lit up the room with her candid sense of humor,” Cook said.

Josh Wacker, who co-owns the Dive Inn, 521 Cottage Grove Road, said he was in “rough shape” Thursday morning.

Wacker said Reed was the first person he hired when the bar opened last June. He said she worked one day a week and had hip surgery, so she recently resumed work at the bar.

“It was fun to have her around,” he said. “She was always helpful getting shifts covered and had a good following. A good crowd always came in to see her.”

The bar does a once-a-month noon meat raffle to benefit local elementary schools and this month, on March 19, the money raised will go to Reed’s family, Wacker said.

He said he’s planning with Reed’s boyfriend to close the bar next week during Reed’s regular Wednesday shift and get a group together to pay tribute to her.

Reed leaves behind two daughters.