James F. Reid

Our “Papa” Jim Reid, 93 years young returned to his Heavenly Father, on a peaceful, cold, January morning, in his home, with his son. His family, Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Visiting Angels and his other wonderful care-givers allowed Jim to remain at his home during his last six months. Thank you St. Joseph, patron saint of a happy death! Jim was the only child of James O. and Frances (Keine) Reid, born February 23, 1917 in East Toledo. Losing his mother at the age of eleven, he was entrusted to the care of the Ursuline Sisters at Nazareth Hall Military Academy. His father James O. Reid the plumber was the only parent allowed to visit at Nazareth Hall the entire weekend exchanging plumbing and other chores for partial tuition. This experience was very rewarding to all by the wonderful memories left to this day. Being an only child shaped Jim’s whole life, family was everything. He remained close to generations of his cousins till the day he died. Jim cared for his stepmother Elizabeth Schneblin till her death. Jim and his wife Emeline always had an open door policy at their house and the family members who stayed with them throughout the years made it seem more like a party for the four children Jim and Emmy raised.. In 1998, after 55 years of marriage Emeline (Petsche) Reid passed away, also at their home. Jim not only built a family, he also built a family business, which continues to this day. His business career began in the office of Superior Casket Company of Toledo after graduating from Waite High School. Jim became a salesman and part owner leaving only to oversee war production at the Willys Overland plant during World War II.. Circumstances closed Superior in the 50's leaving Jim and Emmy with a personal debt they paid off over the succeeding years.as he went to work for several casket companies in Illinois and Indiana before joining the prestigious Chicago Casket Company. During this time, Jim developed Northwest Ohio and Lower Michigan as his territory while keeping Toledo as his home base. In 1968, Jim and his son Thomas Reid formed James Reid and Son Casket Company, known today as Reid Casket Company. The company expanded and moved to their present headquarters at 3240 Monroe Street. Jim grew his company from father, son and one station wagon to nine employees and four delivery trucks in a 15,000 square foot facility. The motto of his company is "serving those who serve the community". According to Jim, "this is our family helping a family business help the families who call them in time of need". He served the industry full-time for 70 years but continued to visit customers occasionally, with his son Tom and daughter Judie, until recently. Since the early ‘60s Jim has lived in the home he and his wife built near the Ottawa River, in the Shoreland/Riviera area. Jim is a lifelong member of the Knights of Columbus. As a K of C member, he served mass in the St. Charles Hospital Chapel until the age of 70. He is a long time member of the Point Place Business Association. Jim was a member and recepient of the Casket and Funeral Supply Association Lifetime Achievement Award.. Jim is survived by his dearest friend Margie Rose. Also surviving are his four children and their spouses, Judith (William) Aubry, James Jr. (Carol) Reid, Bobbie Reid (Steven De Lucchi) of Union City CA and Thomas (Sandra) Reid. Jim has eight grandchildren, including Beth Raczko Lodzinski, David Tansey, Margie Tansey Walter, Joy Tansey Peter, Justin Reid and Anne Reid Gerber. His great-grandchildren total 14. He also has 12 step-grandchildren, William Jr., Daniel, John, Timothy and Patrick Aubry, Peggy Tressler, Janet Lankey, Adrienne Castellanos, Debbie Hall, Mark Marczewski, Danielle Wright and Michael DeLucchi. 30 step-great-grandchildren also survive. He will be shown at Coyle Funeral Home, 1770 S. Reynolds Road, 2 to 8 p.m., Friday, January 14th where a Rosary will be recited by the Knights of Columbus at 7 p.m. The funeral will be held on Saturday, January 15, at St. John the Baptist Church, at the corner of Summit and 124th Streets, at 10:30 a.m., with a visitation in the Narthex of St. John Church beginning at 9 a.m. The family requests donations be sent to Hospice of Northwest Ohio or St. John The Baptist Church. REPRINT from Blade: Article published January 11, 2011 James F. Reid, 1917-2011: Local casket maker helped area families for 70 years By JIM SIELICKI BLADE STAFF WRITER James F. Reid, 93, a Toledo native whose chance encounter with a businessman during the Great Depression led to a 70-year career in the casket industry, died in his Point Place home Saturday. He had bladder cancer and was being cared for in his home by hospice the past six months, son Thomas said. Mr. Reid was born in Toledo in 1917 and was a graduate of Waite High School. He found a job during the Depression moving machinery for a stove company at Bancroft Street and Auburn Avenue, where he met the owner of Superior Casket Co. "He had just gotten a laborer's job" when he struck up a conversion with a businessman and was offered an entry-level sales position with the casket company, his son said. When World War II broke out, he changed jobs and worked as a foreman with Willys-Overland, which was serving as a defense contractor. After the war, he returned to the casket business, joining Chicago Casket Co., working from Toledo as a sales representative for northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Mr. Reid's wife of 55 years, Emeline Petsche Reid, died in 1998. In 1968, Mr. Reid and his son Tom formed James Reid and Son Casket Co., a two-man operation that since has grown to nine employees on Monroe Street near Auburn Avenue. Mr. Reid said his father loved the camaraderie of one family business owner serving another family-owned business, which makes up much of the funeral-home industry. "It was the people he served and worked with on a daily basis that was the biggest attraction for Dad," Mr. Reid said. Mr. Reid developed his company into a boutique firm that served a smaller market that specialized in crafting personalized caskets that differed from the mass-market caskets available from national firms. Joe Coyle, funeral director and owner of Coyle Funeral Home, said Mr. Reid was able to fulfill the wishes of families seeking a particular style of casket "in a timely basis and with particular attention to detail." "And they did it with kindness and true concern for the families," Mr. Coyle said. The business was his hobby, but Tom Reid said his father was especially close to his family and would use his time traveling on business to visit customers, to also visit extended family members and "generations of cousins." Even in his 80s, he was still out delivering caskets to funeral homes and visiting with his customers. "He just enjoyed that so much. That's what he missed about his forced retirement," Tom Reid said. Mr. Reid said his father was a devoted Catholic and lifelong member of the Knights of Columbus. As part of the Knights' service he served Mass in the chapel of Mercy St. Charles Hospital. He began that ritual in the 1950s and continued until he was 70. Mr. Reid is survived by his friend, Margie Rose; daughters, Judith Aubry and Bobbie Reid; sons, James, Jr., and Tom Reid; eight grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren; 12 step-grandchildren, and 30 step-great-grandchildren.

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James F. Reid

February 23, 1917 - January 8, 2011