Pearl Loraine Reid
August 3, 1924 - September 3, 2012
Obituary
Pearl Loraine Reid (Pink Grandma), 88, died peacefully, surrounded by family onSeptember 3, 2012. She was born August 3, 1924 in Trinidad, Colo., to Charles and Stella Hoadley.
Pearl married Eddie Reid in Roswell, N.M., on April 9, 1944. As members of “The Greatest Generation,” Eddie served in the U.S. Army Air Corps while Pearl helped the war effort by assembling airplanes at Douglas Aircraft Factory in Long Beach, Calif. She worked as a riveter and eventually an arc welder. Following World War II, they entered The Salvation Army School for Officer’s Trainingin 1946 and were ordained as ministers with other members of “The Warriors” Session in June 1947. Together they served as officers in The Salvation Army for 37 years, retiring with the rank of Majorin 1984. Both continued their work with The Salvation Army for many years after their retirement.
Pearl was known for her kind and giving heart and her infectious sense of humor. She was beloved for her ability to make people laugh. Pearl gathered friends, fans and family members as their appointments in The Salvation Army took them to Douglas and Globe, Ariz.; Colorado Springs and Pueblo, Colo.; Odgen, Utah; Helena, Mont.; Bremerton, WA; Butte, Mont.; Idaho Falls, Idaho.; Hayward, Calif.; Roswell, N.M. and finally Renton, Wash.
She was instrumental in founding the Renton Food Bank, famously stepping forward to announce The Salvation Army would accept responsibility for feeding the city’s poor and inviting other churches and community groups to join the effort. For her leadership, vision and tireless work, she was named Renton’s Citizen of the Year in 1991.
Pearl and Eddie raised five of their own children and served as mentors, role models and trusted adults to countless more they encountered in their work with The Salvation Army. She was incapable of ignoring anyone she saw in need.Indeed, her greatest joys in life were sharing what she had with others, even when that wasn’t much.
Pearl showed great compassion and affection to the elderly, spending hours after her regular work day sitting in nursing homes and hospitals, holding hands and telling stories to those whose families couldn’t visit.
She was also well at-ease and comforting to the young. She sang more babies to sleep with her “Now-nee” song than anyone can count and could always soothe a sick or simply tired child. She was given the nickname “Pink Grandma” by a granddaughter who explained years later that pink was her favorite color and Pearl was her favorite grandma. In truth, she was everyone’s favorite grandma.
Pearl was active in The SoroptimistClub in several cities and her company, humor and friendship was cherished by her fellow Soroptimists around the West. She was honored with the “Women Helping Women” Award by the Renton chapter of the Soroptimists for her work there.
Pearl was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Eddie, in 1995; her eldest daughter, Carolyn Fisher, in 1981; her only son, Dale Reid, in April,2012, and eightbrothers and sisters. She is survived by three daughters, Catherine (Larry) Popp, Caron (Philip) Olsen, and Cheryl (Stephanie) Reid-Simons; one former daughter-in-law, Kathy Johnson; a special niece, Ruth Looker; one brother, Clifford Hoadley; 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins. A funeral service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12th at Bonney-Watson Funeral Home, 16445 International Boulevard, SeaTac, WA, 98188.
Memorial donations are suggested to The Salvation Army Renton Rotary Food Bank,
206 S. Tobin Street, Renton, WA 98057.
. Pearl was a delight and I felt fortunate to know and share her sense of humor and caring nature during her residency at Mill Ridge. My deepest sympathy to the family. Nadine Cook