Donald James REID November 17, 1936 ~ May 29, 2010 After battling a debilitating illness for twenty-three years, Don Reid, has finally been liberated and has found peace. Donald James REID November 17, 1936 ~ May 29, 2010 After battling a debilitating illness for twenty-three years, Don Reid, has finally been liberated and has found peace.
In his younger years, he was the epitome of vivaciousness, adventurousness, and impishness. In his last weeks, Don said that even if he had another 10 years in him, he had already done everything he wanted to do that was fun in life. He was so right; Don had a complete, exciting and fulfilling life.
Don was born in Seattle to Dorothy Grace White Reid who died when he was 9 months old and Donald Morrison Reid. He was raised by his maternal grand-parents, Olive and James White. Don went to Roosevelt High School and attended the University of Washington. He served in the Naval Air for 6 years.
Following an honorable discharge from the Navy, Don worked in the engineering and architectural design fields for several years while pursuing civilian flight training. Don went on to have a 25 year career as a commercial airline pilot with Pan American World Airways. Don was initially based in Seattle and flew Boeing 707s.
When the Seattle base closed, he commuted to Los Angeles and began flying 747s. Prior to taking medical retirement in 1987, he was based in West Berlin and commuted home to Bellevue to see his family. While with Pan Am he was an instrumental member of the AWARE committee, a group of Pan Am employees who successfully worked with Congress to pass laws favorable to US air carriers for which he received a commendation from Pan Am.
Don touched the lives of many. He was a loyal friend, and his love for those friends endured despite his choice to let such friendships fade due to his deteriorating physical condition. Don was a staunch and sometimes overly avid supporter of his children's endeavors, be it swimming, diving or tennis. He supported his wife's philanthropic activities and engaged in many of his own, including serving as a longtime member of the (now defunct) State of Washington Olympic Committee helping to foster amateur athletic excellence and competition.
Despite his plane being repeatedly shot at, Don volunteered to fly into and out of wartime Vietnam carrying supplies and personnel while Pan Am was under contract with the military. When Saigon fell, Don was involved with Operation Babylift, the 1975 Vietnamese Adoption Airlift, and was instrumental in organizing the flight from the West Coast to Chicago then New York City and ensuring that each Vietnamese baby had an adult companion on each of leg of such flights. Don was a tinkerer. He loved working on his projects whether they be home improvement, landscaping, automotive maintenance (before cars became so computerized), or the annual rebuilding of the Bayliner after his children abused it each year at Seafair. He also loved to scuba dive and snorkel (particularly in French Polynesia and Samoa with extended family members), spear fish, rod & reel fish, dig clams in Long Beach, fly airplanes of all types, race cars, restore classic cars, ride his motorcycle, build airplane and ship models, ski and play golf (until his knee gave out).
He loved nature, animals and birds and particularly enjoyed his time living among the ducks, geese and birds at his homes in Hunts Point and Sammamish. Don could always be found with a coffee cup in hand and a dogby his side, be it Nikki, Baron, Chena, Shemya, Kiska, KD, Toby, Lucas, Sam, Baxter, or Teddy. Don had unwavering love for his family and was unconditionally loved by them in return. He is survived by the love of his life, who stood by him and cared for him during his final years through thick and thin, Linda Reid, by three children, daughter Dana Reid (husband Larry Hitchon), son Kris Reid (partner Jim Ellis) and son from a prior relationship Scott Holbrook whom he was fortunate enough to have had contact with for the first time this year (wife Kri Chum), as well as niece Kassie Reid and nephew Donald Reid. A memorial service will be held at the Golden Gardens Bathhouse beginning at 1:00 pm on Sunday, June 20th. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made in Don's name at the Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund or Overlake Service League.
from the Seattle Times June 6, 2010
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