Willita "DeDe" Thompson Reagan

Dede was born on September 3, 1932, in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California to Wille A. (nee Bryant) Glover and Herbert Arnold Glover. She told stories of an idyllic childhood, riding the streetcar on her own, going with her mom to watch Simon Rodia building the Watts Towers, and playing with children of the immigrant, Black and Mexican families who lived there. She was something of a rebel to hear her tell it, interrupting the church service by belting out the final song early, climbing the roof to pose as God to unsuspecting children who were ordered to bring cookies, and having to shell peas for saying cuss words like “gosh” and “golly” at the 7th Day Adventist School. She was part of an “experiment” to integrate the schools when she attended Willowbrook Junior High School and was one of only 9 Black children at Compton High School where she was active in the World History Club.

If Watts, LA was her first chapter, “Negro Navy wife” was the second, one that brought her a world of friends and travel from Puerto Rico to New England and Washington, D.C, Oakland to Guam and Annapolis to San Diego. She had met and married George “Irwin” Thompson who decided on a Naval career after his tour in the Korean war and together they had 4 children. As a young Negro Navy wife she performed double duty, keeping a home in Daddy’s absence and, as time went on, serving as a career Officer’s wife, modeling for other more junior wives the role of hostess and support person in the absence of their husbands. Our home was opened for “coffees,” “teas” and baby showers, and we daughters were thrust into the role of server/hostess as well. Mom had 4 children with diverse interests and personalities, and she perfectly parented each of us, making us all feel special, seen and heard.

Dede loved to travel, meet new people and experience new cultures. In San Juan, Puerto Rico she would roll up the rug and have our babysitter teach her all the dances (merengue, chachacha) and she studied Spanish at the university. In Rhode Island she bundled us up to sled through the snow and onto a frozen pond for ice skating. In Guam she discovered and made use of the opportunity for us all to cruise on a military ocean liner to Okinawa, Japan and the Philippines. In Annapolis she became a tour guide for the Naval Academy. Throughout this time, she maintained regular correspondence with her mother, and we have a wonderful collection of her “Dear Mother” letters that chronicles our escapades. With Dad’s transfer to San Diego, California in 1969, Mom was finally moving home, but soon to face a major change.

Her third chapter found her in Chula Vista, divorced and starting over with community college and a new position at Pacific Bell. Dede loved researching for the engineers and was the sole “Right of Way” person for the entire county of San Diego. She went on a date that turned into a new love and marriage to former Naval Officer John Walter Reagan. They moved to Encinitas and enjoyed life in a beachside condo. There, Dede also became fascinated with alternative medicine and healing practices and developed a new community of friends and fellow healers in this practice. She and daughter Brennan took lessons at the Self Realization Fellowship in Encinitas, and we all benefited richly from what they shared.

Always in demand as a travel companion, Dede enjoyed multiple trips with family to the Caribbean, Europe, and even celebrated her 90th birthday on a cruise. She was predeceased by her daughter Brennan, and is survived by her children Christine, Sharon, Michael and their partners, Jack, Willie, and Fitz. She also leaves a host of great grandchildren (Ariana, Flora, Charlotte, Zora and Miles), grandchildren (Nigel, James, Kim, Patrice, Liviya, Bianca, Red, Bix and Lyla) and their partners Kaity, Antoña, and Jessie and more family members and friends. She taught us well to love each other and life itself, and we will honor this. We know she is dancing in the heavens with our beloved Mother Dyson and Mama Grey, Brennan and Uncle Stanley, Grammy and Granddad, Uncle Sid and Uncle Cecil, Boy Blue and George L, Bill and TJ, and so many more.