Richard Howard Reid passed away at his home on May 19, 2021. He was born in Port Angeles, Washington Dec. 30, 1953 to Howard and Emma Reid.
Rich grew up in Discovery Bay, Wash. attending Discovery Bay School, a one-room schoolhouse, through the fourth grade. Rich’s first job, at age 13, was working at Sully and Bess Sullivan’s Shell Station in Discovery Bay chipping ice for $1 an hour. At 16, he started working at Reed’s Shoprite in Port Hadlock. He also dug clams on his dad’s beach earning enough money to buy three motorcycles and two cars.
Rich graduated from Port Townsend High School in 1972 and enlisted in the Air Force six weeks later. He came home on leave to marry his high school sweetheart, Sandi Madden, on Oct. 7, 1972 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Port Townsend. Their first home together was Shepherd Field in Wichita Falls, Texas. In 1973 they moved to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada where Rich served as a maintenance crew chief on F-111 fighter jets.
After completing active duty in 1974, they moved back to Port Townsend where Rich served four additional years in the active Reserves. He initially worked in the logging industry driving a skidder and at Reed’s Shoprite before eventually hiring on at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Keyport in September 1974. He worked various jobs at Keyport and Submarine Base Bangor until 1979 when he transferred to the Environmental Department at Naval Magazine Indian Island overseeing the wastewater treatment facility.
In 1988, he and his growing family accepted a two-year assignment at Naval Air Station Adak, Alaska where he supervised the water and wastewater operations. Later in 1995 he did another tour in Adak and after returning to Indian Island in 1997, switched career tracks working as an ordnance handler and eventually a crane operator on the ammunition pier, a challenging job that he enjoyed immensely.
Rich retired in 2015 with over 40 years of Federal service. He enjoyed spending time with his wife, sons, friends and later his grandchildren, camping and boating at the family property on Lake Cushman, woodworking, fishing, crabbing and clamming, traveling, and volunteering at the Elks Lodge. He loved sharing his knowledge and skills with his sons and grandchildren. He taught them to water ski, dig clams, cook, maintain their vehicles and many such life skills. Rich was known as the “go-to” person for coming up with solutions to fix a problem.
Rich had a kind heart and loved helping people. He was never too busy to stop and say hello and have a conversation. A quick run to the store might take two hours depending on how many acquaintances he encountered.
Rich was preceded in death by his parents and sister Darlene Reid Cline. Rich leaves behind his wife Sandi; three sons Brian (Stacie) and their children Isaac, Addyson, Liam and Dawson; Kevin (Deanna) their daughter Giselle; Jeremy (Malone) and their daughters Caroline and Julia. Rich is also survived by his sister Kirsteen McGrew and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Port Townsend Elks Lodge at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 24.
