William Lionel Reid died Aug. 26, 2018, at Grays Harbor Hospital. Bill was born on Nov. 30, 1927, in Aberdeen, Wash., to Catherine (Hanrahan) and Lionel Reid.
The Reids were Harbor pioneers who designed and built many well-known area buildings and residences, including St. Mary School, Aberdeen City Hall and the Aberdeen Library.
Bill attended St. Mary School and Aberdeen High School. He enlisted in the Navy during his senior year and was stationed aboard the USS Chicago, serving in the Japanese theater and postwar rebuilding.
After his Navy service, Bill graduated from AHS and attended Grays Harbor College. While at GHC, Bill played baseball, as he did for Industrial League teams, leading to a lifelong interest in sports.
In 1950, Bill was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving in Korea. Bill was proud of his service in two military branches. During the years that followed, he proudly wore a USS Chicago hat.
Returning to the Harbor, Bill became a Teamster, driving for Pacific Highway Transport, Bay City Fuel and Crown Distributing.
After he successfully completed alcohol addiction treatment in 1976, Gene Gotovac hired Bill to be a bartender at the Spar. Even as a non-drinker, Bill was a regular at many Harbor bars, where he enjoyed the camaraderie and sports banter with employees and customers alike.
For over 20 years, Bill worked as a chemical dependency counselor at the Care Unit and successor organizations. He also remained active in Alcoholics Anonymous for over 40 years, helping countless Harborites through their addiction struggles.
In 1961, Bill married Mary Hermans. They later divorced, but were devoted friends until her death in 2002.
Bill was a member of St. Mary Church, VFW, Teamsters, Hoquiam Elks, GHC Choker Club and the GHC Hall of Fame Selection committee, as well as a generous supporter of St. Mary School, PAWS and several other Christian, veterans’, youth-counseling and animal-care charities.
He treasured his Catholic faith, Irish ancestry and Grays Harbor heritage. Bill forged lasting friendships with classmates at St. Mary’s and AHS.
Bill was keenly interested in sports, with an encyclopedic knowledge of local, state and national teams. He was a lifelong fan of Notre Dame and the St. Louis Cardinals. Travel highlights were his game trips to South Bend for Irish football and to St. Louis for Cardinal baseball.
He is survived by his sister Virginia McEvoy, of Bellingham, Wash., numerous nieces and nephews, and his close friend, companion and AHS classmate Carmen Ainsworth.
Bill requested memorials to St. Mary School, 518 North H Street, Aberdeen, WA 98520 and PAWS, P.O. Box 45, Aberdeen WA 98520.
A Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Good Help Catholic Church, Hoquiam, 11 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 30. A reception will follow at the OLGH Parish Hall.
To share memories or express condolences please visit www.harrisonfamilymortuary.com Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Harrison Family Mortuary in Aberdeen.
