James ‘Jim’ Reed, 91, died in the early morning hours of Monday, December 30, 2024. He died of old age, which came as quite a shock to him and his family, as he had been predicting his imminent death since the age of 56. He was the last of his siblings and believed he was the longest-lived person in his family. His secret to a long life was “I never drank, never smoked, and I drank Yoohoo”. Close family members will attest to a steady diet of milk, peanut butter, and fried egg sandwiches.
Born in 1933, in Wilmington, DE, to Thomas Reed & Charlotte (Wheeler) Reed, the third of four children, his early life was filled with daring feats and a checkered school record. His antics were met with disapproval from his sister Charlotte, egged-on by his brother Tom, and held up as a cautionary tale to his little brother Sam. Well known for his athleticism, fearlessness, and constitutional defiance to authority, he naturally enlisted in the military at the age of 17, where he “dutifully” served his country in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. When the Air Force had enough of his shenanigans they gave him an early honorable discharge. After returning home, he attended the University of Pennsylvania, Moore School until he was politely asked to leave after an unauthorized re-wiring of the dormitory where he resided. According to him, “whoever wired that building was an idiot” and the fuses blew all the time. Thus ended his formal education.
He rode his motorcycle over to Chestnut Hill College, and swept a sweet chemistry major, Sidney Mauchly, off her feet with his considerable good looks and bad-boy charm. The couple moved to Berks County and were part of the “back to the land” movement. She birthed 7 children, gardened, baked, canned and jellied, He was a master electrician and master mechanic who rode motorcycles, flew planes, collected old cars, and crashed many of them. The many, many stories of his near escapes from the clutches of death have horrified and entertained his family for years. A friend gifted him a hot-air balloon ride for his 60th birthday.. it crashed.
Friends and family knew him as a guy who could fix anything and called upon him often to help with their cars, furnaces, and appliances. He was generous with his time and natural gifts which included mechanical ingenuity, musical talent, and uncanny automotive instinct bordering on the psychic. Having married into a ‘computer family’ he often applied his electronic gifts to the care and maintenance of the early large-scale computers of Remington Rand, and Bendix Corporation. He would later work for local tech companies UNISYS, and Ensoniq where his gifts for electronic diagnosis were put to good use. In the 1970’s founded Scan Electronics which shared space with the Majestic Theater on Carsonia Avenue in Pennside (Reading PA). His love of engines, electronics, ham radio, and music continued his whole life. He sang songs and played guitar often; he was partial to old time country music, and had a beautiful deep voice. He adored mechanical mysteries, and in his 80’s drove down to Philadelphia just so he could solve an issue with an old freight elevator at Philadelphia Brewing Co.
In his 60’s he moved to Dushore Pa in Sullivan County. He loved the area and the proximity to brother Tom and sis-in-law Eunice who had a farm in nearby Forks Township. He was a member of the East Forks Community Church. Thirteen years ago Joan N. Moore, a talented artist, capable farm-woman, and warm-hearted person of great merit, resident of New Albany, PA asked him out to lunch and became his beloved companion. Joan and Jim were inseparable until his death.
Surviving are seven children: James, Jennifer, John, Jessica, William, and twins Mary Ellen and Elizabeth Reed. He had seven grandchildren who have inherited all his best qualities of musical ability, athleticism, intelligence, and good looks, but have yet to crash any planes or motorcycles (fingers-crossed).
Jim was preceded in death by three siblings, Charlotte Cushing, Thomas Reed, and Samuel Reed.
In keeping with Jim’s wishes, there will be no public services at this time. A celebration of Jim’s life will be held in the near future in the Philadelphia area. Funeral arrangements are under the care of McCarty-Thomas Funeral Homes, Inc., 119 Carpenter St, Dushore, PA 18614.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at mccartythomas.com.
