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1942
2018
Ben Reid
Scottsdale - lt is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of Ben R. Reid. Ben was born on March 9, 1942 in South Bend, Indiana. He passed quietly on February 21, 2018. just shy of his 76th birthday. He was the first child of Ben Raymond Reid and Pat Holien Reid. He is survived by his sister, Veronica Allington of Vancouver, Washington. He grew up in Phoenix and was a graduate of Brophy Prep, Phoenix College and Arizona State University. He was predeceased by his parents and his wife, Carol. Ben never remarried after Carol's passing but shared housekeeping and a home with his good friend Leonard Peete. After Ben suffered a stroke in 2011, Leonard became his caretaker as well. Ben was defined by his friends as "Unique". He participated in two different worlds during his life. These two worlds did not interface until his Celebration of Life at the Game Depot, where they became acquainted with one another and discovered just how unique Ben was. He worked at Channel 10 for 40 years, technically as a cameraman, but he was so much more. He was described as one of the old Fresnel lamps in the old Channel 10 studios that has burned out and can never be replaced. lf you did a local commercial in the mid sixty's, seventy's, and early eighty's Ben Reid was probably your lighting director and art director. Ben always had the vision of how to put a video together. Director, set designer, set construction, heavy duty sewing, lighting director, mechanical/optical special effects, modeling, and artist. Ben could do it all. He was a quiet, patient, giving man. Slow to anger and someone that could be trusted. He wasn't the face of KOOL but he was part of the glue that held the place together. He was an early science fiction/fantasy costume fanatic and a gamer before the advent of computers. Ben never used a ruler to measure from the studio walls when he put up a regular commercial set like the old Lou Grubb Chevy living room set. He would use his shoes heel and toe to measure the distance. Ten "Ben's foots" was a usual measurement. One day Ben bought a new larger pair of shoes on sale. Things never quite fit in old KOOL Studio B again. Ben was never classified as athletic, but he had started at an early age practicing to be Batman and learning how to walk on a chain strung between two posts, Batman was his favorite character. He brought those skills with him to the KOOL studios, climbing adroitly up 20 foot ladders and hanging off the lighting grid to adjust a light to his exact liking. He was particular about many things. Ben had specific ideas on what he thought was good food; A McDonald's hamburger, ketchup and pickle only. He liked his French fries, crisp and fresh with plenty of salt. He was notorious for demanding that his food be exactly to his specifications, Hostess Twinkies were ok too. Waffles with every well individually filled with syrup. Bacon crisp enough to hold straight out. Dairy Queen hot fudge sundaes and Butter Pecan ice cream were two of his favorite foods. A picky eater was the polite description. When they kill the lights in what is now Studio A at KSAZ Fox 10, (originally a bowling alley) in the quiet, you can still hear the sound of the bowling pins falling and feel the spirit of Ben Reid looking up at the lighting grid. ln the gaming group, which Ben was a member of for 35 years where Ben was the elder statesman, the founding father, the beloved mentor. He was always there to help and uplift with a great story or a wonderful collectible. Ben was a member of Fandom from before most of us were born. He collected Batman, Detective, Wonder Woman, and Superman in an age before it was considered chic to be a comic geek. He appreciated all forms of fandom, science fiction, fantasy, art, movies, animation, comics, television, and gaming. He was, in short, a master fan-boy geek with a collection that would have rivaled some of the best collections of fan memorabilia in the southwest if not the United states. He managed to collect over 25,000 comic books. He has even won awards from his cosplay at the 1979 Worldcon here in Phoenix, Who can forget the 10 foot tall with Ben on three foot stilts, his homemade Minotaur? He was into special effects and home made movies; where all of his cousins were his actors, along with himself. He honed his special effects, lighting and directing skills at an early age. He was a man who was ahead of his time, but made all of us the richer for having shared in his magic. He was one of a kind and will be sorely missed.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Sponsored by Messinger Mortuaries- Indian School Mortuary Indian School Mortuary.
4 Entries
Just read the notice of Ben's passing in the Cronkite Journal from ASU. Ben was one of the most interesting characters I ever met. I worked with him at KOOL-TV from 1975 to 1981. Some of my most vivid memories of Ben: standing on the top step of a tall ladder (gives me vertigo just thinking about it), bubble gum -- lots of the hard, barely chewable bubble gum that came with the sci-fi trading cards he collected, a miniature set he was building for a Christmas-themed animation project and McDonalds. One day we attended a lighting seminar at ASU; there was a fabulous catered lunch provided as part of the event. Ben walked in the room, took a look at the food, grimaced/shook his head in the negative and walked out . . . to McDonalds of course. RIP Ben.
David Newton
March 8, 2019
Ben was all this, and so much more.
My deepest condolences,
Dave Preppie' Hart
Dave Hart
April 1, 2018
Ben and my Dad worked together at channel 10 in the 70 s and 80's . Ben was apart of our family , and we loved him like an uncle . I am sorry that I lost contact with him . We spent many holidays together when I was a kid . He treated my brother , sister and myself as if we were his own children . The last time I had spoke to Ben was in 1997 when I got out of the Navy . We spoke for hours that day . He would always make various Star Wars toys and figures such as the millennium falcon from his home for us and give it as gifts at Christmas time . I remember him having a major collections of comic books and star wars memorabilia when I was a kid .He was a brilliant artistic genius, and true kid at heart I will miss the times he would take us to the movies or get a thriftys Ice cream . We would pack up in that old 4 door Chevy nova of his and go to various places through out the valley . I am deeply saddened and will truly miss you Ben . You will always be apart of Our family .
Kind regards
REUBEN TRUJILLO JR.
Reuben Trujillo
March 31, 2018
I was so sorry to see that Ben had passed. I haven't seen Ben in years, but used to see him on a weekly basis at a local comic book store where I used to work. I loved talking comics with him, and was always fascinated by his studio work.
I was just a teenager when I met Ben, and being into comics and games then definitely put you into nerd category. Ben made me realize the love for those things didn't make me a nerd-- It made me cool! I went on to open my own comic book store, Samurai Comics, and I grateful for Ben for being such a passionate part of the hobby.
I didn't know that Ben graduated from Brophy College Prep. My son Connor just got accepted into Brophy. I'm going to sit down with Connor and talk to him about Ben and everything he accomplished in his life. One reason we liked Brophy so much was how successful Brophy graduates are, and what good people they are. Ben is a shining example of that.
I wish I had kept in contact with Ben, but I'm happy that I was fortunate to have known him. He will be missed.
Mike Banks
March 29, 2018
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