James Lynn "Jim" Reid, Sr.

James L. Reid (Jim) was born June 7, 1935 in Longview, Texas, the son of Lynn Allen Reid and Lenna Floyd Reid, died June 18, 2013. Jim was a resident of Bartlett, Tennessee and spent his last months at Methodist Hospice in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 78. The youngest of four children, Jim spent most of his youth living in Texas and Arkansas. One exception was during World War II when he and his family lived in Hanford, Washington. Jim's father was employed with a government project which turned out to be the Manhattan project. After the war, they moved back to Stephens, Arkansas where Jim graduated high school. While visiting Memphis one weekend he went on a blind date and met the girl of his dreams and future wife, Jane Tomlinson. Jim attended one semester at Southern State College in Magnolia, Arkansas, but could not stand to be away from the love of his life. So he mustered the courage to tell his parents he was quitting school to get get married. Jim and Jane married in 1956 and lived in Arkansas where Jim worked the oilfields. In 1959 the family moved to Memphis where Jim started his career at DuPont, and he and Jane worked together to build the American dream. In 1972, he obtained his general contractor's license and left DuPont to work for a former DuPont co-worker Dewey Price who was now building homes. After a short time, Jim ventured out on his own forming Reid Homes. He built 2 homes that first year and was on his way as a successful businessman and fulfilling the vision he had for his family. In some years, Jim built as many as 100 homes. Since its inception over 2600 homes have been built. In December 2012, Jim was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Memphis Area Home Builders Association. He was a charter member of the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce and served on the Bartlett Industrial Board. In 1980 Jim expanded his business with the opening of Reid, REALTORS and was recognized last year as a Realtor-Emeritus by the Memphis Area Association of Realtors in honor of his 40 years of membership. During his career as a builder, Jim Reid also owned Owen Lumber and Designer Cabinets before eventually selling them. Jim Reid was respected throughout the building and business communities as a good, honest man who could wear his jeans and t-shirt with a cigar in his mouth to dig a home's foundation in the morning and then be in a suit and tie to meet with the bankers in the afternoon. Jim was an avid fisherman who enjoyed deep sea fishing on the Gulf as well as crappie fishing in area lakes. His favorite spot was the Tunica Cut-Off where it was said he did most of his best planning and thinking at the end of a fishing pole. At the end of the day, he would give away most of his fish and head home with a bucketful of ideas. He was a faithful University of Memphis Tigers basketball fan and attended many games and tournaments with family and friends. His loving wife of 56 years predeceased him just 4 1/2 months ago. He is survived by his son James L. Reid, Jr. (Metra); a daughter, Ronda Reid Jacques (Gary); 6 grandchildren, Michael Jacques (Rachel), James Baker, Matthew Reid (Sarah), Josh Baker, Aaron Jacques and Chelsea Reid. He also leaves his sisters Jo Staggs of Stephens, Arkansas and Dot Waller of Jacksonville, Texas. His eldest sister, Ann Hensley of Houston, Texas predeceased him. Jim Reid was a family man, a wise and quiet man to whom people listened, a loving man, of honesty and integrity who will be missed by his family, friends, business associates and all of his dedicated employees both past and present. The family will receive friends Friday evening, June 21 from 5-7 p.m. at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 3700 N. Germantown Rd. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, June 22 at the funeral home with interment to follow in Memorial Gardens. The family requests that any memorials be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research or Methodist Hospice.