When James Martin Reed walked into the room, those in his company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Jim was and how he impacted those around him. Jim was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if he wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Jim was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve him well throughout his life.
Jim was born on August 8, 1961 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank, California. He was the son of Robert and Theresa Reed. Jimmy was raised in Encino, California, then moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he lived pretty much from the age of 7 on. Always at the ready with a good joke, he grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew James might describe him as an idealist, his friends and family understood well that James was always in pursuit of life's endless possibilities and the opportunities available to him.
Jim was raised with 3 siblings. He had 2 sisters: Emily & Anne and 1 brother: Bob. Jim was accepting and supportive of his family and friends. These traits served James well in his adult life and, along with his wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew him.
As a young boy, Jim was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew him into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. James was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with his peers. He was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. Jimmy took part in Pop Warner Football. He was a cub scout. In his spare time he liked baseball cards. Jim's memorable achievements included numerous honor roll citations and he won a scholarship to Bishop Gorman High School. James had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity he and the many childhood friends he shared might discover.
During his high school years, Jim responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. He graduated from Bishop Gorman High School in 1979. James was a very good student, and generally did well in his courses. Jim absorbed as much as he could from all of his teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using his imagination to master his assignments. For Jim, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to his ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered "Hack" a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to him to discuss just about anything. His favorite classes in high school were English courses. The teachers he enjoyed learning from the most were probably Zagortz or Halpin (did I say he loved English?). He loved to philosophize & write, which is where he earned the nickname "Hack".
Jim did well in college, as a result of his comfort level with tackling new theories and his love of learning. He attended UNLV but didn't complete a degree; he was a self-educated man. Jim was very adaptable, a quality that helped him make the transition from high school to college with little difficulty. As a result, James's problem solving skills and thirst for new knowledge almost guaranteed that he enjoyed virtually every class he took. Jim was always in quest of new things to learn and experience
With a talent for making acquaintances easily, which in turn brought him an endless stream of friends, James was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Once he got to know you, assertive and outgoing, James was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. He always seemed aware of what was going on with people around him and throughout his life he made many, many friends. While growing up, some of his best friends were James, Anthony & Chris Young, Scott Gordon, Scott Ross, Marian McNamee, Bob Glennen, Nancy Halpin, John Martinet, Chris Rivera, Randy Grandstaff & Pete Lamancusa. (The later 2 he's probably partying with right now!) Later in life, he made many friends; too many to name, many through his brothers and sisters in IATSE local 720 & his fellow travelers in AA.
On July 23, 2002 James married Dorn Ann Miller at Wee Kirk o-the Heather Chapel of Las Vegas, Nevada. Jim''s skill at building bridges played an important role in his ability to make his new family happy. He was quite sensitive towards Dorn's needs, showing his constant concern and fondness. "Pops" was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served him well in helping to nurture his family.
James was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide his family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Jim parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of his life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Reed home. Jim's skill at understanding his children's feelings, his sensitivity to their needs, and his gift for gentle persuasion enabled him to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Jim was blessed with four sons; Camron, Tyler, Cody & C. J. They were also blessed with two grandchildren, Jonas & Oliver.
Jim was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life's possibilities, traits that made him an exceptional worker. His primary occupation was stagehand. Jimmy was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize him. James had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of his gift for insight. Jim's fellow workers saw him as a supporter and a mentor.
Because Jim loved to have a broad variety of activities in his life, he took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. His favorite pursuits were writing and drawing. James had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of his favorite pastimes. However, Jim's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.
Jim derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. His charisma, supportive nature and ability to improvise when called upon to do so all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. Recreational sports included a pick up game of basketball. Jim was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite basketball team, the L. A. Lakers.
Throughout his life, James was actively involved in professional and community organizations. He was compassionate, accommodating and quick to move into action. Always able to build a consensus, Jim seemed to be the person smack dab in the middle of things, working to get things done. Those who had the opportunity to work with Jim usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with him, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine. In high school, James was a member of the National Honor Society.
Because James was constantly in the center of things and where the action was, he always seemed willing to join in and help, regularly getting involved in community activities. Jim's gift of planning and improvisation, along with a talent for rallying support, made him a great asset. James found new ways of getting things done in order to help make just about every activity more efficient and enjoyable. Politically, Jim was proud to call himself a Libertarian.
James was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a member of St. Anne's for 8 years. He was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and he used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for his beliefs.
James's love of improvising in his daily life was a perfect fit for his enjoyment of traveling. His favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit his personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Jim took his vacations seriously, well, as seriously as he possibly could. Favorite vacations included taking the family to Knotts Berry Farm, Disneyland and across the country.
Jim was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. Lilly, a cat., was a best friend for several years. His family was rounded out by another cat, Squeak, & 2 dogs, Molly & Minnie.
He is survived by his wife: Dorn; children: Camron, Tyler, Cody & C. J.; siblings: Emily Johnson, Anne Kottke & Bob Reed; brothers-in-law: Tim Johnson, Jim Kottke & Ronnie Miller; nephew: Reed Kottke; nieces: Sarah & Leah Kottke, and numerous cousins, aunts and uncles who remained special to him throughout his life. Services were held at St. Anne's Church.
There was always a certain style and inventiveness to James. He was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. He had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While he was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to James Reed for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. James was always more than willing to share life's experiences with those he loved
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