John Mitchell Reid

Mr. John Mitchell Reid, Sr. age 101, died peacefully on Christmas Eve, in Aurora Living Center, at Aurora, Illinois. Born in Shelby, North Carolina, September 17, 1906, he was the only child born to Mr. Walker and Daisy Lockhart Reid; both of whom were the first generation of their families to be free-born. Mr. Reid’s family relocated to Barddock, Pennsylvania when he was 13 years old. He attended Braddock High School. Later John worked at Edgar Thompson Steel Mill in Braddock Pa. where he was an employee until he retired in 1970. He continued to do various odd jobs for the next 30 years. Mr. Reid was a longtime member of Holiday Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church at Braddock, Pennsylvania. He was united in holy matrimony to the late Irene Garner on June 6, 1933, and from this union six children were born. The couple observed their thirty-fourth wedding anniversary together prior to Ms. Irene’s passing in March, 1968. John was a loyal Pittsburgh Pirate fan and an avid hunter. Every November he would take a vacation just to enjoy the sport of hunting rabbits, pheasants and squirrels. In addition to his loving wife and parents, John is preceded in death by his beloved friend Bertha Lee with whom he shared many of his senior years. Also preceding him in death are his son-in-law Raouel Crocker, granddaughter Irene Brown, son John Mitchell Reid Jr. and daughter, Dr. Floyce D. McCauley and great grandson, John Paul Russel. He leaves to mourn, sons Ramon (wife Aline) Reid; Donald E. (wife Cynthia) Reid, all of Pittsburgh Pa. Daughters; Sonya Crocker of Aurora, Illinois, Donna (husband Wendell) Merrill of Bolivar, Ohio, Carlette Draper of Aurora, Illinois and son-in-law James McCauley of Philadelphia, Pa. He leaves 24 grandchildren, 58 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a host of many relatives and friends.Pastor Eric Johnson will lead a funeral ceremony celebrating the Home-going of Mr. Reid at 1PM on Saturday, January 5, 2008, in the Mount Calvary Second Missionary Baptist Church, 1000, 3rd Street NE, Canton, OH. The family will receive friends one hour prior to services at the church. A reception will follow in the church fellowship hall.Burial, alongside his wife, will follow in Homewood Cemetery, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at a later date. Those unable to attend are invited to share memories and condolences with the family by visiting the funeral home’s website. Geib Funeral Center at Dover(330) 343-5506www.geibfuneral.com