Kenneth "Kenny" Walter Reed

Kenneth Walter Reed was born April 26, 1936 at home in Anaheim, CA. He spent his youth in Orange County. Growing up in and around Garden Grove, CA was central to who Ken was. Ken loved Garden Grove High School. He played football, ran track, played basketball, was in the school plays and was Student Body President his senior year. His maternal grandparents owned a ranch and his childhood was spent with his many cousins playing on the ranch. His love for sports, especially football carried over into college. He attended Orange Coast College, playing football there. According to him he played the very first game in the then new stadium at OCC and broke his arm. He earned his bachelor’s degree in education at Chapman College and his master’s degree at University of LaVerne. He served with his longtime friend Bob Elliott in the California National Guard enjoying time spent in and around Morro Bay. He worked for awhile for AT&T before becoming a teacher in the Brea Olinda Unified School District. Ken moonlighted for summers and holidays at Disneyland (House of the Future and Adventure through Inner Space) and Anaheim Stadium. He taught in Brea at Mariposa, Brea Junior High, and Brea Olinda High School. He was also the principal at Olinda, Laurel and Brea Junior High. He was principal at Brea Junior High when the class of 1986 entered, and when they went onto high school, so did Ken. He loved the years he spent at BOHS helping with student government and coaching golf, soccer and girls’ softball.

Ken and Judie raised their family in Diamond Bar where they were members of the Congregationalist Church. The family loved taking trips to San Diego and Morro Bay. The most memorable camping trip the family took was across the United States and Canada for two months in the summer of 1979 in a VW Camper Van. Ken spent many years coaching youth sports in Diamond Bar. His love of sports carried over into all he did. When his daughter started attending UCLA, he got football season tickets. When his grandson started on his golf team in high school, he became an assistant coach. And when all of that ended, he attended every sporting event his grandkids participated in. Ken was also in the audience for every performance and awards ceremony for his grand kids. He was a constant spectator and cheerleader. And beyond all that, he attended sporting events for the children and grandchildren of his friends. Even in his last days of understanding, we could ask him who his favorite football player was (Pete Elliott) and who his favorite team was (Rams). He loved sports, activity and cheering on those he cared about. He was a past master of Citrol Lodge 656 in Brea and an advisor to the Job’s Daughter Bethel and DeMolay Chapter there.

In retirement Ken still worked. Ken and Judie were members at Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Santa Ana. Ken enjoyed working with the Fly Fishers Club of Orange County and Trout in the Classroom. He taught kids all over Orange County about the life cycle of a fish. He volunteered tirelessly with the Garden Grove High School Alumni Association. He and Judie loved the Garden Grove High School Reunion Picnic every June, they love connecting with people. They also traveled, taking multiple trips to Europe, multiple trips across the United States, and trips to Canada and Alaska. Ken loved seeing the world. He was passionate about golf and met friends several times a week to play. Listing all the people he played golf with, would make this obituary too long. Everything that Ken experienced, and that he did with his children, was a teachable moment. He turned everything into a lesson. An evening of stargazing turned into a lesson about constellations, a walk on the beach is a conversation about the tides or the weather. Breakfast was an opportunity to repeat a series of numbers backwards and forwards in order to improve memory.

In January 2021, Ken was diagnosed with COVID. The complications of this horrible virus are what led to his death. Ken died at home surrounded by family on March 2, 2021. Ken is survived by his loving wife Judith Noble Reed, his children Felicia (Eric) Watkins, Kriss (Daisy) Reed, and Aron (Carol) Reed. He is also survived by his grandchildren Theo Reed, Reed Watkins, Michael Watkins, Lauren Watkins, his brother Ed (Louise) Reed and nieces Dana Reed Crediford, Dawn Reed Lundegard, Melissa Reed Silva and Jessica Reed Turner. Ken will be interred at Fairhaven Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers you are invited to make a donation to one of three organizations important to Ken:

1. Masonic Center for Youth and Families, 1650 E. Old Badillo St., Unit B3, Covina, CA 91724 https://mcyaf.org/

2. Garden Grove High School Alumni Association, c/o Chuck Lake, P.O. Box 6549, Santa Ana, CA 92706.

3. Trout in the Classroom c/o FFCOC, P. O. Box 23005, Santa Ana, CA 92711-3005