William Harold Reedy

William Harold Reedy was born in Tulare, California on August 2, 1919 to William Albert and Arna Malina Reedy. Harold had three half-brothers and one half sister. He passed away on August 26, 2014 at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee, Washington following a four year battle with bladder cancer.

Harold's family moved to Ashland during his early teens where his parents owned a fruit orchard. After graduating from Ashland High School, he attended Southern Oregon Normal School receiving a teaching certificate. During the summers he built sets and acted for Angus Bowmer, founder of the Oregon Shakespearean Festival. Harold began his long teaching career at Reese Creek. Oregon followed by Elk Creek Elementary School where he met his future wife, Grace Ruth Renzema.

On October 10, 1942, he was inducted into the Army Air Corps serving in North Africa and Italy as a cryptographer. Upon returning to the States, he and Grace married on December 15, 1945. Harold and Grace were blessed with three children, Jerry, Karen and Linda.

Using the GI Bill, Harold continued his education, graduating with a master's degree from Greely, Colorado. From 1948 to 1956 he taught in Nyssa and Corvallis, Oregon. In the summer of 1956 Harold moved with Grace and their three children to the East coast in preparation for their five year service at Mt. Silinda, Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Africa. During their time in Africa, Harold was the principal of the boarding school, providing an education for over 300 African students. The family returned to the States in 1962, after touring Europe for 2? months.

They moved to Pendleton, Oregon where Harold taught at the high school. In the fall of 1966, he attended Washington State University and completed the course work towards a doctorate degree. His first contact with Moses Lake came during the summer of 1967, when he taught in the Japanese Agricultural Trainee Program. He became a professor at Big Bend Community College in 1968, where he taught English and later English as a Second Language, retiring in 1982.

Harold was an active member of the Moses Lake Retired Teachers Association. He loved to read and travel, but most of all he loved spending time with Grace, his children, eleven grandchildren, and thirteen great grandchildren.

Harold is survived by son Jerry and wife Kristy (Bloomington IL), daughter Karen and husband Ric Sherman (Hermiston OR), daughter Linda and husband Chris Laney (Sprague WA), Grandchildren/Great grandchildren: Tim and Tammie Reedy and children Josiah, Tristan, Alaina and Abigal; Marc and Lisa Reedy and children Ryan and Emily; Gina and Bill Poshard and son Flynn; Seth Reedy and children Braden and Ashlyn; Mairi Reedy; Joel Reedy and children Kameron and Clay; Heather Sherman; Kara Laney; Juliann and Pat Haffey and children Munro and Jameson; Eric Laney

Harold was preceded in death by Grace, his wife of 68? years, and his granddaughter Rachel Christine Reedy Laney.

The family wishes to thank our wonderful longtime caregivers Celia Mabry, Cheri Mauldin, Millie Mulamba, and her staff at Golden Age Adult Family Living. The family deeply appreciates the care given by Dr Joseph Pazona, Dr. Bert Ivey, and the staff at the Wenatchee Clinic and hospital.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, September 2, 2014, at 10:00 AM, at the Moses Lake First Church of The Nazarene, corner of 5th and Balsam, Moses Lake, Washington. Interment will be at 2:00 PM, at Macabee Cemetery, Sprague, Washington.

Funeral arrangements handled by Danekas Funeral Home, Ritzville, Washington.