William R. Reed

William was born in New York in 1938. At an early age, his family relocated to Arkansas which he called home until he graduated high school. William joined the United States Navy and served proudly from 1956 to 1970 as an air traffic controller. During his service, William traveled the world and gained a love for aviation. After his service, William worked as a tankerman for the U.S. Merchant Mariners, security at Holiday Inn and retired as a plant engineer at Methodist Medical Center in 2003. In his youth, William drove stock cars and continued his love for NASCAR long after. He was often found relaxing in his recliner watching a race on Sunday. He was an avid Terry Labonte, Arkansas Razorback and Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan. His hobbies included r/c model airplanes, model trains, writing novels, drawing and riding motorcycles. William was a supporting member of the Moose Lodge previously serving as outer guard and ritual chairman. He was also a supporting member of the American Legion, Post 283. William was an active parent during his children’s youth serving as a Boy Scout leader and Southside Middle School Band Booster. William lived life on his own terms and sharing his experiences, passing his wisdom on to his children.

William is pre-deceased by his father, Perley, mother, Jennie and sister, Jean. He is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Sandra; sons, Peter of Florida and David of North Carolina; daughter, Bonnie of Florida; brother, Edward of Canada; nephews, Paul and Johnathan of Canada, and Bernard of Montana; nieces, Kathy and Michelle of Canada and step-daughter, Elizabeth of Florida.

A Graveside Service will be held 1:00 pm, Friday, November 28, 2025 at Riverside Memorial Park, 7242 Normandy Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32205