Alan Watson Reid

Alan Watson Reid, our loving uncle, brother, step-father, grandpa and great-grandpa and friend to all, passed away in Sparks, Nevada on April 22, 2010 after suffering from COPD and lung cancer. Alan was born April 19, 1929 in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada the youngest of four children. He attended the university of British Columbia and Eastern Washington State College majoring in civil engineering, business and economics. Although Alan never obtained his degree, he worked for BC Engineering and BE Electric from 1948 until 1965. He later moved to Spokane, Washington and worked for a steel manufacturing company as a sales representative and purchasing agent. In San Francisco and Reno he was a self-employed contractor until his retirement. He worked on several remodeling projects throughout the years.
In the 1970's Alan fell in love with a piano player he met at the Berkley Square Tavern and in 1978 he and Meriam, the love of his life, were married. Together they moved to the Reno area where they lived out their lives for over 30 years. While Alan never had children of his own he became stepfather to her two children and later grandpa and great-grandpa to their children and their children's children.
Alan was very proud of his Scottish-Canadian heritage. He loved golfing and made many good friends over the years with whom he spent hours on the links. He also had a passion for gardening (he loved to create Japanese style gardens), watching hockey and golf on TV, good friends and good times. Alan was a talented artist with many drawings of animals he had done in his home. He had a great love for nature and enjoyed traveling. He had a stubborn streak, but along with that had a keen sense of humor, and was kind, caring and loving.
He was preceded in death by his wife Meriam Reid, parents Alexander and Mary Reid and sisters Babs Middleton and Peggy Courtney. He is survived by his brother George (Paula) Reid and nieces Mij (Rick) Shattuck and Gerri (Dick) Tolhurst and nephew Cec Stevenson and 6 great nieces and great nephews and his stepchildren Barbara (Mike) Pratt and Alan Solomon of Sparks, NV, grandchildren Jason, Mandye, Matt, Sara, and Cody and great grandchildren Storey, Clover, Milah and Ruby all of whom will miss him dearly.
There will be a celebration of life gathering at his home in Sparks on Monday, April 26, 2010, at 4:00 P.M.