John E. Reed Sr., 91, of Waldoboro, passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 23 at Miles Memorial Hospital in Damariscotta with his family by his side.
He was born May 20, 1921, in Brooklyn, N.Y. to Edward and Mary Leppanen Reed. After the Depression, John’s parents moved their family to the Waldoboro area where he attended local schools.
He worked with his father in construction and on the farm. As a boy, he was proud of his team of oxen that he raised and trained to work in the woods and on the farm. Eventually, he decided to venture on his own and started by working in the Waldoboro shipyard.
A short while later, he became a home builder employing help in the local area and also built and repaired boats in his home workshop. One would be hard pressed to find a road in Waldoboro, Friendship, Bremen and other nearby towns that didn’t have a house built or repaired by him. In his retirement, John also built many clam hods that are still used by the local clam diggers, as well as furniture, picnic tables, bird houses and feeders – he was the happiest when working with his hands in his workshop.
He married the love of his life, Bernice Walter, in 1940 and raised six children. He served in WWII in the Army from 1944 to 1946 as a rifleman in the European Theatre.
He was one of the original founders of the Waldoboro Sno-Crawlers; a member of the Soule-Shuman V.F.W. Post #4525; Charles C. Lilly American Legion Post #149; Meenahga Grange; Lincoln County Fish and Game, where he was a competitive pistol shooter; the Knox County Fish and Game; and King Solomon’s Masonic Lodge #61.
John loved to hunt and fish and would join his friends each spring and fall for a fishing trip to Northeast Carry on Moosehead Lake. He also loved to work outside in his numerous gardens and shared his bounty of vegetables and gladioli with his family and friends.
John was predeceased by his wife of 69 years, Bernice; brother, Robert; and granddaughter, Jaime Lee.
He is survived by children, Donna Richardson and husband Lawrence (Butch) of Cumberland, John Reed Jr. and wife Sharrie of Gray, Elaine Johnston and husband Ralph of Waldoboro, Arnold Reed and wife Karon of Jefferson, Cindy Stover and husband Les of Scarborough, and James Reed and wife Judy of Waldoboro; sister, June Pinkham of Zephyrhills, Fla.; nephews, Alfred Pinkham Jr. of Silverdale, Wash., and Richard Lewis of Norway; niece, Nancy Packard of Union; cousin, Edna Montgomery of Cushing; 13 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
Service to celebrate John’s life 2 p.m., Sat., Feb. 2 at the Hall Funeral Home, 949 Main St., Waldoboro. Rev. Robert Dorr will officiate. Burial will be in the German Cemetery in Waldoboro in the spring.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in John’s memory may be made to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 7, Edgecomb 04556; Animal Rescue League, 146 Camden Rd., Rockland 04841; or Soule-Shuman V.F.W., 75 Ledges Circle, Waldoboro 04572.
You are invited to share your condolences with the family at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Waldoboro.
