Reid Roberts Kimball

1926 - 2015

How do you undertake the task of distilling down a life that spanned 88 years and included so many accomplishments and accolades? On February 12, 2015, the world became quieter and a less colorful place with the passing of Reid Roberts Kimball. Reid was born June 29, 1926, the youngest of 10 children, to Crozier and Mary Lenore Roberts Kimball in Draper, Utah. Reid died peacefully at home in Eugene, Oregon at the end of a long, rich life. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Barbara Joy Radmore Kimball MD, Radiologist and Psychiatrist, his daughter Valery Kimball Pettit and her husband Paul Pettit, his son Michael Reid Kimball and his wife Melynie Stromer Kimball, his daughter Paula Kimball, his daughter Karen Kimball and her husband George Holt, his daughter Kaye Kimball Davis and her husband Dr. Robert Davis and his six grandchildren: Nicole Kimball, McKenzie Kimball, Madison Tritico Davis, Reed Tritico Davis, Lauren Holt and Christopher Holt.

When his family was asked to describe Reid in five words, the immediate thought was "Five words? That is darn near impossible!" Here is a sample of what we came up with:

Loving, Brilliant, Wickedly-Humorous, Trickster, Punster, Whimsical, Adventurous, Curious, Tenacious, Compassionate, Empathetic, Courtly, Phenomenal, Expert, Soulmate, Artistic, Audacious, Entertaining, Captivating, Mischievous, Passionate, Patriarchal.

Reid loved to travel and had an insatiable appetite for people and cultures. At the end of his life as he closed the book on his "bucket list," he left only 6 of the world's countries unvisited; there just wasn't enough time.

No recounting of Reid's life would be complete without a listing of the highlights of his accomplishments, so, go get a cup of coffee (or a scotch and soda in his honor) and find a comfortable chair. Here we go:

At 17 years of age, with his father's permission, Reid joined the Navy in 1943 where he served as a Pharmacist's Mate Third class at Camp Pendleton, and the US Naval Base in Newport Rhode Island for 2 years during WWII. He was honorably discharged from the US Navy in 1945. He was accepted to BYU with the understanding that he would apply courses earned at BYU to go towards his diploma requirements from Jordan High School where his studies were interrupted when he joined the war effort. Reid graduated from BYU with a Bachelors in Science in 1949. Reid went on to attend the University of Utah Medical School where he earned a Doctorate of Medicine in 1951. He served as an intern at Thomas D. Dee Memorial Hospital in Ogden, Utah, 1951-52 before completing psychiatric residencies at Norristown State Hospital, Norristown, PA 1952-53; Oregon State Hospital, Salem, OR, 1953-54 and 1955-56; and the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Hospital, Palo Alto, CA, 1956. Reid was the first Board Certified Psychiatrist in Eugene, OR, and he helped open the first Child Guidance Clinic in Eugene, OR.

His affiliations and certifications included:

-Diplomat in Psychiatry by American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

-Fellow of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

-Distinguished Life Fellow American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

-Unit Director at Oregon State Hospital

-Clinical Director at Oregon State Hospital

-Consultant to Hillcrest School for Girls

-Lane, Linn and Benton County Mental Health and Child Guidance Clinics

-Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Oregon

-Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, Post graduate teacher in Psychiatry Seminars for Non-Psychiatric Physicians

-State of Oregon, Division of Mental Health Training Consultant to Second Year Psychiatric Residents

-Instructor, Clinical Psychiatry, University of Oregon Medical School

-Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Oregon Medical School

-Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Oregon Medical School

-Professor of Psychiatry, University of Oregon Medical School

-Acting Director Post-graduate Education for Non-Psychiatric Physicians, University of Oregon Medical School

-Associate Director, Post-graduate Education for Non-Psychiatric Physician and Interdisciplinary Teams, University of Oregon Medical School

-Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry in Community Psychiatry, University of Oregon Medical School

-Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry in Emergency Room Psychiatry, University of Oregon Medical School

-Pro tem Professor of Psychiatry, University of Oregon Medical School

-Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Oregon Medical School

-Mental Health Consultant for Title 19 to the State of Oregon Department of Welfare

-Interim Director for Title 19 to the State of Oregon Department of Welfare

His appointments and honors included:

-Research Institute of Oregon, Board of Directors, Eugene, OR

-Marion County Mental Health Clinic, Advisory Board, Salem, OR

-State Board of Social Protection, Salem, OR

-Committee on Continuing Education, Non-Psychiatric Physicians for the American Psychiatric Association

-President Oregon Psychiatric Association

-President Elect and President of the North Pacific Society of Neurology and Psychiatry

-Deputy Representative Assembly of District Branch (Alaska, Washington, Oregon) to the American Psychiatric Association

-Examiner for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

-Consultant to the Child Study Center at the University of Oregon Psychology Department

-Founding Fellow of the American Geriatrics Society

-Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association

-50 years of Service to the American Psychiatric Association

-Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association

-Meritorious Achievement Award, Alumni Association University of Oregon School of Medicine

-Special Merit Award for Distinguished Service to the Oregon Psychiatric Association

Over the course of his long and distinguished career, Reid maintained a private psychiatric practice in Eugene, Salem and Portland Oregon; and 20 years of Locum Tenens work in 14 states. To a multitude of his colleagues around the state of Oregon Reid was known as "Mr. Psychiatry". We the members of his family shared some of our thoughts about Reid, but in the end, he was our EVERYTHING.

Arrangements entrusted to Musgrove Family Mortuary. Please access the obituary and you are invited to sign the guestbook at musgroves.com.