William Wesley “Bill” Reed Jr.

William Wesley “Bill†Reed, Jr. , lived his life as a model of quiet strength, humility, faith, and dedication, inspiring the same qualities in the family and friends who are his legacy as a son, a soldier, a husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and community leader. He was, to put it as simply and directly as he would have done, a good man and a humble servant. At age 92, Bill died peacefully at home on July 28, 2016.
Bill was born on Nov 26, 1923, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin to William Wesley Reed, Sr. and Jane Reed. In 1926, his father moved Jane, Bill and his little brother Edward Dexter (“Buddyâ€) to Brownsville where his father would help open the Coca Cola Bottling Company and drive its trucks. Shortly after Bill’s arrival in Brownsville, several neighborhood boys who took exception to his unusual “Northern†attire (and who would later become his friends for life) jumped his backyard fence and beat up little Billy, and he was forever a converted Brownsville boy. Bill undoubtedly developed his work ethic during the Great Depression when as a young boy he sold magazines to help support his parents and brother, and he worked as a caddy at the Brownsville Country Club (now VICC). Bill always loved baseball and was the bat boy in the 1930’s for Brownsville’s former semi-pro baseball team, The Charros.
After graduating from Brownsville High School in 1941, he received an appointment to The United States Military Academy at West Point. In 1944, he was deployed to the European theater of World War II where he served with the 71st Infantry Division and fought in the Rhineland and Central Europe. Bill served his country with characteristic quiet courage, and he rarely spoke thereafter of the atrocities he witnessed or of his part in liberating prisoners from the Nazi concentration camp Mauthausen near Linz, Austria. For his brave service in combat, he was awarded two Bronze Stars. Though Bill would have dismissed any praise for his extraordinary sacrifice and service, it’s difficult to imagine someone more deserving of the title, “Hero.” And as with so many of the Greatest Generation, he honored the sacrifice of war by keeping the solemn promise of the peace through service and leadership in his community.
While still serving in the Army, he attended The University of Edinburgh in Scotland. And after he was honorably discharged from the Army, he enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin where he graduated with a BS in Business Administration in 1948.
On June 19, 1948, Bill married Olive Helen Polley of San Benito, Texas, in a double wedding with her sister at the Baptist Church in San Benito, Texas. For their honeymoon, they sailed across the Atlantic on a troop ship and biked across Europe. Olive’s sense of adventure, mischief, compassion, wit, and her unique ability to see the good in people complemented Bill’s stoicism and serious nature, and their combined influence is apparent in the six children they raised together.
After working for Anderson Clayton in the grain and cotton market in Houston and throughout Mexico, he returned to Brownsville where he and Olive raised their family. He managed port operations for the Brownsville Steamship Agency under his beloved mentor Jack Eidman until the early 1970’s. He then became president and owner of Western Auto stores in Brownsville until his retirement in 1992. All of his children were employees of his stores, and only much later did they learn there was really no such thing as the “children’s minimum wage” he paid them.

After Olive’s death in 1985, Bill was fortunate to find new life and love with Katherine Celaya, whom he married on July 11, 1987. Together they traveled the country and the world, shared the joys of music and the arts, wept to Pavarotti, and danced to mariachis. And above all, “Papa Bill†and “Granny†enjoyed their children and their grandchildren. Though he could not himself carry a tune, he introduced many of his grandchildren to classical music. Katherine kept Bill active and engaged, and her love and care maintained him until his final breath.

Bill actively served his community and his church. In 1978, he resumed his work at the Port of Brownsville when he was elected to the Brownsville Navigation District board, and he served until 1996. He was Board Chairman from 1986-90 and from 1994-96. He was also an active member of the Episcopal Church of the Advent for nearly 70 years, and he served several times as the parish’s Senior Warden and as a delegate to several Diocesan Councils—and he served many years on the Board of the Episcopal Day School. In the early 1970’s, he was a founding board member of La Esperanza Home for Boys and Villa Bethany Home for Girls which served as alternative rehabilitation facilities for boys and girls placed in the juvenile justice system. He served as President of the West Brownsville Little League and was a frequent coach and fan of his children players. He loved to hunt and camp with his children and grandchildren, and he taught them respect and stewardship of nature, and he never missed his children’s school and athletic events. He enjoyed traveling to Austin to cheer his beloved Longhorns, and he sat in the same seats at Memorial Stadium for nearly 40 years, often wearing his unmistakable and possibly embarrassing burnt orange socks. No one ever accused him of being a fashion slave, and to his amusement, his children often borrowed his clothes for costume parties.

Nothing brought him more joy than being surrounded by his family where he loved hearing their stories and having his German stoicism erupt into uncontrollable laughter. His love and commitment to them were unflinching. He was always, always there for them. When they were sick, he comforted them. When sad, he held them up. When happy, he laughed with them. When they competed, he cheered them on. With their mother, he drove them to church most every Sunday, but he showed them God’s love every day.

Bill was predeceased by his parents William Wesley and Jane Reed; his first wife of 37 years Olive Helen Polley Reed; and his brother Edward Dexter Reed (Buddy). He is survived by his wife of 29 years Katherine Anderson Reed and his children and their spouses: Mary Teresa and Mark Hoskins; William Wesley Reed III and Karol Gevanthor; The Rt. Rev. David Mitchell and Patti Reed; Rose Anne and David Nuckols; John Christopher and Christine Reed; and Robert Eric and Noelle Reed; and 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. During his last years and days of his life, he was blessed with the loving and tireless care of Irma Castillo, Olga Ramirez, Rosa Mungia, and Magdalena Garcia. Bill’s family would like to thank his longtime cardiologist and physician Dr. Roberto Robles as well as the nurses from Greater Valley Hospice.

Pallbearers at his funeral will be his grandsons Mark Hoskins Jr., Michael Hoskins, Eric Nuckols, Trevor Nuckols, Chad Nuckols, Mathew Reed, Jon Reed, John “Jack†Reed, and his great-grandson Clay Hoskins.

The family will be receiving friends and relatives from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 3 at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home, 657 Springmart Blvd., Brownsville, Texas 78526. Funeral services are at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 4 at Church of the Advent Episcopal, 104 W. Elizabeth Street, Brownsville, TX 78520, with the Rt. Rev. James Folts, retired Bishop of the Diocese of West Texas, and the Rev. Laurie Kim, rector Church of the Advent, officiating. Afterwards, he will be laid to rest at Buena Vista Cemetery with full military honors, 5 McDavitt Blvd., Brownsville, TX 78521.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude memorial donations be directed to: The Episcopal Day School, 34 North Coria Street, Brownsville, Texas 78520; or to The Church of the Advent, Episcopal, 104 E. Elizabeth Street, Brownsville, Texas, 78520.