Lou Reid Landreth was born on Main Street in Sparta on March 17, 1914, to Grover C. and Bettie Lou Landreth.

Her great-grandfather, David Landreth, gave land for the establishment of the county seat of Sparta. She was a member of the Sparta United Methodist Church. She attended North Carolina College for Women (UNCG), graduated from Roanoke National Business College and from Hunter College of the City of New York.

During the Depression and World War II years she worked in various government departments in Washington and was secretary to the first Price and Rationing Administrator, Mr. Leon Henderson. She learned to fly and was a member of the Capital Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol. She spent a tour of duty in Europe where she joined the Office of War Information in Paris.

After the war, she moved to New York and worked for Universal Films with Matthew Fox, executive vice president, who became deeply involved in the struggle of Indonesians to obtain their independence from the Dutch. She made several trips to Indonesia, the first being immediately after their independence, when she set up offices for the Fox group to begin trade in the new territory, which had been monopolized by the Dutch for generations.

Miss Landreth retired to Sparta in 1979 and became active in the newly formed Historical-Genealogical Society, helped to survey all the cemeteries in the county and edited the cemetery book, helped to compile and edit the Alleghany County Heritage book, was chairman of a museum committee and prepared an operating manual in contemplation of a museum becoming a part of the Carlisle Higgins Center.

She was cited for volunteerism by Governor James B. Hunt. She was a member of the New River Country Club, was an avid bridge player and was a member of the New River Pioneer Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

When Regent, her project was to raise funds and place a bronze plaque on the lawn of the 1908 Independence Courthouse listing the names of 246 Revolutionary militia and patriots. She passed away at Alleghany Memorial Hospital Sparta on Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at the age of 97.