Charles Wayne Reed was born Nov. 8, 1931, to Henderson Reid and Mary Jewel (Polbert) Reid in Philadelphia, Mississippi. When work in logging was scarce, his dad moved the family to Texas where there was work in the war effort. His dad was locked into that work until World War II was over, then he moved the family to Cowiche, WA, where he was able to get work in the logging industry.
Because of those two moves Charles was set back two years in his academic studies, which meant when he was in Highland High School, he could drive when others in his grade couldn’t. His passion then was motorcycles, sports, sports cars and girls. Sometime during his high school years he had a disagreement with his father and changed the spelling of his last name from Reid to Reed. He graduated in 1952 and married his high school sweetheart, Sharon Yvonne Zirkle, that June, and was inducted into the Army soon after.
He served in the Korean War near the demilitarized zone, then was sent to Japan to train for the Ski Patrol. When the peace treaty was signed, he was brought back to South Korea and served as a guard for the womens' prisoner of war camp.
After returning home he worked with his father-in-law in the orchard business, but decided it was not for him, so he went to Central Washington State College and got his teaching degree. He joined the staff at Wapato Jr. High and taught 9th grade English and English Lit. He also coached their baseball team and most of the time they won the game. He also taught 100’s of kids to drive in Wapato and Zillah.
He always said that Sharon was a great supporter of him, in his choice to become a teacher, in his studies and in helping him correct the piles of test papers. They were married 42 years and raised four children, Chuck, Dawn, Michelle and Brian, before Sharon passed away in 1998.
Charles was an avid fisherman and loved to fish on the Columbia River in his 12 ft. boat, as well as Banks Lake. He still loved his motorcycle and rode it up until he couldn’t see well enough to drive. He loved to play the slots at the casinos until he couldn’t tell the difference between the play and the max button. He spent many happy hours entertaining and playing with his grandchildren, loved to travel with his family and in later years dancing.
It was at the senior dances that he met his 2nd wife, Dixie. He came to the dance to find a woman and she came because she loved to dance. They met August of 2004 and married June of 2005. They danced through the years until sometime before midnight, Fri., May 11, 2018, God came to quietly take him Home.
Charles is survived by his wife, Dixie (Young) Reed of almost 13 years; his son, Chuck Reed of Olympia, WA; and grandsons, Colin and Ion Reed of Seattle; daughter, Dawn (Stewart) Copeland of Yakima and granddaughters, Kristin (Brian) Chudler of Denver and Kari (Kris) Reidman of Everett; daughter, Michelle (Roy) Yarn of Everett and granddaughter, Courtney (Brian) Powers and great grandsons, Bennett and Chancelor Powers of Marysville, Brian Reed and granddaughters Savannah and Heather Reed of Yakima; sisters, Maxine Leonard of Redding, CA; Shirley (Willis) Kroetsching of Renton WA; and brother, Larry Reid of Seattle.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Sharon and his sister Roselyn Day of Yakima.
There will be a time of visitation from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, May 17, 2018 at Langevin El Paraiso Funeral Home. A Graveside Service with Full Military Honors will be at 10:00 a.m., Friday, May 18, 2018 at Tahoma Cemetery, 1802 Tahoma Avenue, Yakima. To share a memory of Charles visit www.lepfuneralhome.com.
