Sometimes God places certain people into your life who you would never expect. I can’t remember how Reid and I started emailing back and forth every day. I think we started emailing not long after I first got a work email account, back in the year 2000, after the turn of the century.
But we’d email each other every day. Five days a week. Eventually it stretched to all seven days. Might’ve started with a fantasy basketball league we were in with Lang. I came in last place.
What do two men share about? Much more than sports. What was going on in our lives. Ups and downs. News. Family stuff. Reid loved to share stories from his past. What happened on this date in 1960. Reid had an amazing memory, of dates and experiences.
Reid was a dear friend. He was judicious with his advice, but it was filled with wisdom on the rare occasions he offered it. He knew better than to lower himself into discussions of topics which divide. Took me a long time to learn that lesson from him. Not sure I ever really did.
If you’re like me, whenever you would cross paths with Reid, as soon as he’d see you his face would brighten, as if he’d been waiting for just this moment to share some incredible story or bit of information. He’d have this huge smile on his face, and his eyes would get really wide. He always had something interesting to share. Sometimes in crowds it was hard to get a word in edgewise, but that just made the times we did have to share all the better.
Reid loved to keep track of things. Score basketball and baseball games. Once he scored an all star game while he was driving from Atlanta to New Orleans. He had his own system. He’d invent games to play, first outside in his backyard, and later fantasy games of golf and other sports. He was still playing some just a few weeks and months ago.
Reid was born in Atlanta, and pretty much lived his entire life in Buckhead. He attended Marist and Georgia State.
When he was drafted into the military, God used the experience to greatly deepen his faith. Reid’s typing ability quickly landed him a clerk’s position, perhaps sparing him from active duty overseas. Stationed in New Orleans, he found a church home with great preaching. When his time in New Orleans was over, he stayed over the last weekend to attend worship. Reid so loved New Orleans that his email address was NOLA. His fantasy leagues were named NOLA.
When Reid was transferred to Whittier Alaska, he found more Christian fellowship. He had the time to be a more active participant in ministry, singing in choirs and working in VBS and other ministries.
After his military service ended, Reid eventually landed a job at Muses, where he worked for years. He was active at First Baptist Church. It was there where he first met Edie, and he quickly began to court her. From Reid’s emails to me, it was obvious that she was the love of his life. He kept a record of every date they ever went on. There was nothing else Reid wanted to do, than to spend time with Edie. He’d often recount their honeymoon, a road trip that didn’t exactly get off without a few hiccups, with some bad weather and botched hotel reservations. Reid so loved to spend time down in Destin with Edie, looking out at the water and eating out at their favorite places.
Reid so enjoyed the experience of eating, both dining out and eating in. Having conversations and relationships with restaurant managers, waiters, and chefs. That’s how they first got to know George, right? Reid would describe each dish in detail, relishing how good it was - whether it was prepared by a classically trained chef, Edie, or George.
Reid was a voracious reader, often in the middle of two or three paperbacks at a time. He would often share devotions with me that were special to him - so much so that I eventually started subscribing to the same devotions. Just another way Reid still impacts me to this day.
Reid loved Lang and Claire. It’s certainly a testament to Reid and Edie how their kids both become such loving spouses, parents - and still devoted adult children to Reid and Edie. Reid loved Claire’s girls and Lang’s Beck, and loved hosting them every summer for cousin’s camp. Reid would spend hours getting his prizes and puzzles ready for the week.
When Reid left Muses, he started working at the SPdL early childhood school - a “job” he loved. Mr. Reid was a favorite of the children and the teachers. A wonderful time of his life.
Reid loved Second Ponce. He loved worship services of all kinds. Sunday morning and Sunday evening. Wednesday night. Back in his single days he’d see where a pastor he knew was preaching a revival, and Reid would be there every night. He’d take copious sermon notes and file them away. Pretty sure he has boxes and boxes of sermon notes stashed away at home. That’s another way Reid has impacted and influenced my relationship with God: several years ago I started back taking my own sermon notes. I’ll open a new email on my phone and peck out notes of the sermon. During the closing prayer I’d address the email to Reid, and share it with him.
Reid so loved the worship services at the Frazer church in Montgomery, the preaching, the choir anthems, even the congregational singing. For years Reid would make the drive over to Alabama to attend. Reid even named his dog Frazer. All the way up until his last trip to the hospital, Reid would go home on Wednesday nights - while Edie stayed for choir practice, and Reid would watch the Frazer service on his computer.
Reid sang in the adult choir for years and years. He had all the hymns and anthems memorized. He led the singing in the EEE Sunday School class for years. Reid especially loved Music Week at Ridgecrest every year, where he’d sing in the great choir. Now Reid has joined the great choir in heaven, which I’m sure he loves even more.
Now I’ll be experiencing something, going throughout my day, and in my mind I’ll be searching for the words to describe what’s happening in my next email to Reid. I check my inbox box, looking for one thing: a reply back from Reid.
Reid always knew how to put others ahead of himself, which is often our lot as husbands, fathers, and grandfathers. But Reid my dear friend, we all miss you dearly, like you will never know.
I’m reminded of the old song Home Where I Belong, which is fitting for Reid. When the Roll is Called Up Yonder. I’m sure he’d pick a hundred other great hymns of the faith before this one.
