Mr Clyde Sebird Reed

CLYDE SEBIRD REED PEMBERTON, WV�Clyde Sebird Reed, 77, of Pemberton passed away September 29, 2007 while on his boat on the fishing trip of his dreams in Pineville, SC, and is now safely home with Jesus. He battled heart disease for over 15 years. In December 2005 he was diagnosed with leukemia and lymphoma, but never gave up. He suffered four strokes, fighting even when the Doctors had given up. Never once did he change his outlook. As he sang to his grandchildren he �Kept on the sunnyside of life.� He was born June 29, 1930 in Basin, WV. He was the son of the late Sebird Joshua and Mary Mae Reed of Amigo. He was preceded in death by three sisters, Thelma Jean Reed, Daisy Mae Reed, and Bertha Faye Norman; two brothers, Arlie Preston Reed and Byrl Van Reed; and his father-in-law, James Duff. Clyde was a retired heavy equipment operator who could �make a back hoe sing�. He drove a school bus for 13 years and received safety medals nearly every year. Through the years he worked as a coal miner, a state road employee, a prell truck driver, a carpenter, a bakery worker, mechanic and timber worker. Often he worked two jobs to provide to his family and instilled this work ethic in his children. He did not retire and sit back. Instead he worked on his property and always had a project going. At the age of 71 he decided to build himself and his wife a home from the ground up, a project that he had always wanted to do. There were no contractors or laborers. Lowes rolled out the red carpet when he arrived. The Lord blessed him to live in his new home for 2 � years. Mr. Reed loved to hunt and fish. In his younger years, he would take his family to the riverbank for the whole weekend. He made an annual trip to Minnihaha Springs to hunt deer in November. He had at various times raised quail, raccoons, coon dogs, and honeybees. He was also musically inclined and loved bluegrass music. He taught himself to play the dobro, mandalin, banjo, and fiddle. He enjoyed sitting on the back porch playing music and drinking coffee. He loved his family and was proud of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Everyone received their own special nick-name from Papaw. His grandchildren would tell everyone about their Papaw and how Papaw could make the impossible (possible). He proudly served in the United States Army 101st Airborne with a tour of duty in Korea during the Korean Conflict. While there, he was wounded twice, refusing Purple Hearts because he felt they should be reserved for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Those left to cherish his memory include his beloved wife of 54 years, Gladys V. Reed; six children, Douglas C. Reed of Miami, FL, Vicky G. Allen of Pemberton, Kathy E. Spade and husband, Jerry of Beckley, Brenda R. Hale and husband, Ronnie of Pemberton, Randy Reed of Crab Orchard, and Patricia Lewis and her husband, Richard of Pemberton, whom lived with him; fourteen grandchildren, Angie Adriane, Doug, Amanda, Scott, Jason, Kara, Becky, Pat, Tony, Jeremy, Joshua, Christopher, and Nathaniel. Nathaniel lived with his Papaw and encouraged him everyday to �feel better�; 17 great-grandchildren, Brittany, Brandon, Cheyenne, Mia, Katelyn, Lance, Shanna, Alex, Bethany, Jordan, Brodie, PJ, Molly, Katelyn, Olivia, Virginia, and Hannah. His mother-in-law, Ethel V. Duff; four brothers, Charles Reed of Amigo, David Reed of Amigo, Daniel Reed and wife, Ruby of Rhodell, Basil Reed and wife, Jenny of Amigo; and a special friend who was more like a sister, Patty Varney of Glen Daniel. Services will be 11:00 AM Wednesday, October 3, 2007 at Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia with Rev. Dan Coleson officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Military Graveside Rites will be conducted by the Oak Hill, VFW. Friends may gather with the family from 6:00PM until 9:00PM Tuesday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.blueridgefuneralhome.com Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 147 Virginia Street, Sophia is in charge of the arrangements.