Harold LeRoy Reeder

8 Jul 1932 – Plymouth, Wayne, Michigan

14 Jun 2004 – Ilwaco, Pacific, Washington

My father, Harold LeRoy Reeder, was born on July 8, 1932 in Plymouth, Michigan. His parents were Florence (Katherine) Knacker and Wilson Gaylord Reeder. He had three sisters and two brothers: Margaret (1919), Billy (1921), Hazel (1924), Betty (1928), and Ralph (1935).

In 1935 when he was about three, my father and his family lived in Plymouth, Michigan with his parents. In 1940 at the age of seven, he and his family lived in Superior, Michigan. In 1943 when Harold was 11, he lost his mother. Catherine died from leukemia in Redford, Michigan.

In 1950, Harold joined the United States Navy. After his honorable discharge in 1954, he joined the Corps of Engineers and served as a bridge painter. He painted The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, and the Golden Gate Bridge in California. He also signed up with The United States Army and fought in the Korean War.

On May 27, 1960, my father married Dorothy Marie Allen in Alameda, California. They had five children: Ann Marie (1961), Tommy Wilson (1963), David LeRoy (1965), Keith Allen (1968), and Daniel Harold (1970).

In 1960, my parents lived in Alameda, but in 1961, they were living in Seattle, Washington until September. Next, the army sent him to Fort Carson, Colorado. We lived there until around 1963 when we moved to Hotchkiss, Colorado. In 1964, his father passed away. He was 79 years old. In 1965, we moved to Alameda, California.

In 1979, he moved to Hayward California to live with his girlfriend. Ann and David also moved to Hayward.

On April 22, 1980, Harold and Dorothy divorced.

On November 1, 1981, he married Rae Kargel.

In 1996, Harold and his new family moved to Long Beach, Washington.

On June 14, 2004, Harold died in Ilwaco, Washington.

Military Service

Name	Harold Reeder
Gender	Male
Birth Date	8 Jul 1932
Death Date	14 Jun 2004
Branch 1	NAVY
Enlistment Date 1	9 Aug 1950
Release Date 1	27 May 1954

Obituary

Harold L. Reeder

Deceased Name: Harold LeRoy Reeder ILWACO — Harold L. Reeder, 71, died at Ocean Beach Hospital in Ilwaco, on June 14, 2004, after courageously battling cancer. The son of Wilson and Florence (Nacker) Reeder he was born July 8, 1932, in Plymouth, Mich.

During his childhood the family lived in Plymouth where he attended the local schools until the age of 17 when he went to work for the railroad. In 1950 he joined the U.S. Navy and after being honorably discharged in 1954 joined the Corps of Engineers and served as a bridge painter. He painted both the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge in California. Harold joined the U.S. Army and served in Korea. When he returned home, he continued to serve as a reservist for a number of years. Returning to Civil Service he was employed as a heavy equipment mechanic.

In 1989 Mr. Reeder and his family moved from the San Francisco Bay area to Vancouver where he completed a 35-year career in the Civil Service. After his retirement in 1996 he and his wife moved to Long Beach to again enjoy life on the coast. An outdoorsman he enjoyed sturgeon fishing, walks on the beach and camping. He was an avid reader and especially enjoyed stories by Louis L’Amour. He had a complete collection of L’Amour’s books. His family describes him as a loving husband and father who enjoyed time with his family.

Survivors include sons Daniel Reeder of Long Beach, David, Keith and Tom Reeder of Colorado; daughter Ann Bryant of Colorado; stepson Lyle Kargel of Battle Ground; stepdaughters Donnella Kargel and Kelly Meyer also of Battle Ground and Joy Langhals of Windsor, Calif.; sisters Hazel Riley of Michigan and Betty Wilbee of California; and numerous grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Mr. Reeder was preceded in death by his wife Judith Rae (DeWoody) Reeder in May 2003, a sister Margaret Burgart and two brothers Larry and Bill Reeder. At the decedent’s request, no public service is scheduled. Cremation arrangements by Penttila’s Chapel by the Sea, Long Beach.