James Dolan Reid, of Killingworth, Conn. and summer resident of Pemaquid, passed away quietly at home, surrounded by the love of his family, on Oct. 27.
A Professor of Mathematics at Wesleyan University for more than 30 years, Jim retired in 2001, but continued to teach in the spring semester every year.
Born in Augusta, Ga., on June 24, 1930, to Richard and Katherine (O’Leary) Reid, Jim moved with his family to New Rochelle in 1940. He graduated from Iona Preparatory High School, where he and his twin brother excelled academically and ran cross-country; the two redheads were known as “The Gold Dust Twins.” Both brilliant and quick, the two took different paths after high school.
Jim received a Bachelor (1952) and a Master (1954) degrees in Mathematics from Fordham University, and then spent two years in the U.S. Navy as an electrician aboard the U.S.S. Smalley before pursuing his doctorate at the University of Washington. He earned his Ph.D. in 1960.
On the beautiful and unseasonably warm day of Jan. 3, 1959, he married his sweetheart, Anne (Nancy) Donohue, at St. Catharine’s Church in Pelham, N.Y. That was the beginning of a beautiful journey of more than 54 years.
From Seattle, Jim and Nancy moved to Syracuse, where he taught at Syracuse University; New Haven, where he held a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Yale University; Amherst, Mass., where he taught at Amherst College, and back to Syracuse, where he taught until 1969.
In the summer of 1969, Jim and Nancy and their three children moved to Killingworth, Conn. and he began his career at Wesleyan University, where he was extraordinarily dedicated to his students, to his department and to his field of study. In addition to his teaching, Jim’s research in Mathematics (Abelian Groups) was internationally admired; he directed fourteen doctoral dissertations and he delivered papers, talks and classes throughout the world over the course of his career, including an appointment as Visiting Professor at University of Wurzburg.
While pursuing his career at Wesleyan, he served his community on the Board of Education and was an active member of St. Lawrence Church.
In 1991, Jim and Nancy realized their dream of having a place in Maine to spend some months of the year. Later, grandchildren followed, and many wonderful memories were made. Jim’s grandchildren loved greeting him in the morning, and he shared with them his love of nature and his good humor. The family dogs all found in Jim a most excellent (and generous) friend, who always saved them something from his meal. In Maine, Jim and Nancy shared a love of the fields around their old farmhouse, the sunsets over those fields, the goldfinches and hummingbirds that visited their fruit trees and flowers, and the dramatic seascapes nearby.
He was predeceased by sisters, Margaret Dee Reid (Sister Mary Richard) in 2003 and Kathleen Reid in 1930. Sadly, Jim’s identical twin brother, Richard Reid Jr. passed away only nine days before Jim.
He leaves his beloved wife, Nancy; devoted children, James Jr. (Susannah) of Spencer, W. Va., Margaret of Barrington, R.I., and Gerald (Colleen) of Harpswell; adoring grandchildren, James Elijah Reid, Claire, Catherine and Erin Reid, and Daniel Reid; brother, Thomas Reid of Cleveland, Ohio; and 19 nieces and nephews.
Calling hours will be 4-6 p.m., Wed., Oct. 30 at Swan Funeral Home, 825 Boston Post Rd., Madison, Conn. A mass of Christian burial will be 10 a.m., Thurs., Oct. 31 at St Lawrence Church, 7 Hemlock Dr., Killingworth, Conn. Burial to follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Killingworth.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Jim’s name may be made to either of the following causes, which were very important to Jim, and remain so to his family, The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation or Autism Speaks.
