ForeverMissed
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Harold Laverne Reid was born September 22, 1937, to Levier and Mary Reid of Wainfleet, Ontario, Canada. He passed away on July 24, 2021, in Wichita, Kansas, his home for the past four years. He grew up on the family farm and attended a one-room schoolhouse through middle-school. He always loved learning, excelled academically, and graduated from Grade 13 at Pelham District High School in 1955. He moved to the U.S. to enrolled at Tri-State College (now Trine University) in Angola, IN, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He then attended graduate school at John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH, studying mathematics. During this time, Harold had several good Korean friends, through whom he met Kathy Kyung-Hee Paik, the love of his life. Kathy was a graduate student from Seoul, Korea, studying Library Science at Case Western Reserve University. They married in 1964 and had the first of their three daughters, Julie, a couple of years later.

Harold began his professional engineering career in Cleveland designing freeways and bridges for the interstate highway system established by President Eisenhower. In 1967, he started his federal career with the U.S. Coast Guard, designing marine structures on the Great Lakes. In 1969, he landed a posting with the U.S. Department of Defense in Seoul, Korea, where he served in a diplomatic role as an engineering advisor to the Korean Ministry of Defense. His responsibilities included training a highly capable team of young Korean civil engineers and architects engaged in building up Korean military facilities. The six years Harold spent in Korea were some of the best years of his life. During this time, he and Kathy had two more daughters, Suzanne and Janet, and they were able to live close to Kathy’s family. He also met Yuyong Yoon, who would become a close lifelong friend. Harold traveled with his family extensively throughout South Korea, including annual trips to beautiful Daecheon Beach and Seorak Mountain. He collected Korean antiques, and as an avid photographer, took countless pictures chronicling his many excursions. He joined the Presbyterian Church in Korea, becoming an elder, and was one of the founders of Calvary Presbyterian Church in Seoul. He was involved in several charitable projects there, some of which he continued after his return to the U.S., including working with local orphanages and raising donations for many years.

After Harold’s term in Korea ended in 1975, he took the post of Engineering Design Chief at George Air Force Base in Victorville, CA, and moved with his family to the Mojave Desert, which would be his home for most of his life. After the base closed in 1992, he was hired to be project manager for environmental remediation of the base. Always hard-working with an entrepreneurial spirit, he embarked on a variety of business ventures in addition to his full-time engineering career. Upon retirement after 30 years with the federal government, Harold joined the Board of the Victor Valley Realtors and pursued real estate sales for the next 20 years. During this time, he was also a devoted 40-year member of Church of the Valley in Apple Valley, CA, and involved in supporting various mission projects. He also greatly enjoyed family trips back to Korea. He was an optimist at heart and always saw the potential in things. Throughout his life, he used his voice to try to make a difference and was always involved with helping and advocating for friends and family as well as speaking up for causes in which he believed.

Harold Reid is survived by his wife, Kathy Kyung-Hee; three daughters, Julie Reid (James Ortman) of Hattiesburg, MS, Suzanne Hawley (Gary Hawley) of Wichita, KS, and Janet Mayse (Kevin Mayse) of Corona, CA; grandchildren Ethan and Sean Hawley and Isabella Mayse; sisters Doris Drew of Wainfleet, ON, Canada and Esther Sundstrom of Hoschton, GA; and brother Carl Reid of Phoenix, AZ. He is also remembered by family friends Yuyong and Sue Yoon; their children, James and Jessica Yoon; and Arnell San Jose.

In remembrance of Harold Reid’s life, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, a charitable donation be made to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation or UNICEF.   

Ave Maria performed for Harold Reid's memorial by Michelle Carlson Liebl.
April 25, 2022
April 25, 2022
Hi my name is Jack and I’m a sophomore in high school. In the 6th grade my school went on a field trip to the catholic care center. 2 of my friends and I were paired up with Harold. We absolutely loved him. He had so many stories that we could listed to forever. Harold wrote to my address asking to come back and visit. We visited Harold a few times. Reading that he has passed is very sad to me. Thank you Harold for all you did for this country in your service. Thank you for all you have taught me and my friends.

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April 25, 2022
April 25, 2022
Hi my name is Jack and I’m a sophomore in high school. In the 6th grade my school went on a field trip to the catholic care center. 2 of my friends and I were paired up with Harold. We absolutely loved him. He had so many stories that we could listed to forever. Harold wrote to my address asking to come back and visit. We visited Harold a few times. Reading that he has passed is very sad to me. Thank you Harold for all you did for this country in your service. Thank you for all you have taught me and my friends.
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October 17, 2021
To the Reid Family,

Thank you for sharing your beautiful memories of your father with us. My name is David Chavez and I was one of Suzanne's mentors during her undergraduate and graduate days. I do remember Harold as a very proud father! As a father myself, I can't say that I blame him. And from what I see in his children as their share their thoughts and memories, he had every reason to be proud!

My own personal experience with Harold continued long after Suzanne's undergraduate days. I had a home in Apple Valley and was using the home as a rental property. Looking for a property manager, Harold stepped forward and did a wonderful job of managing the property for what was surely a nominal charge. I always had a sense that it was his way of paying me back and as somebody that was in over his head when it came to the property rental business, I will be forever grateful for his business acumen and willingness to take on the direct oversight of the property.

I can see that his willingness to take on a task and do for others was not a one time thing but something he did throughout his life, for family, friends and people like myself that were near strangers to start.

Wishing the Reid family consolation in their memories of Harold and the knowledge that he touched more lives than they could ever possibly directly know.

Forever grateful,

David

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