1927
William
2014
William J. Reid
November 2, 1927 — August 21, 2014
William J. Reid, Jr.
Central, SC
Dr. William James Reid, Jr., 86, went to join his heavenly Father on Wednesday night, August 20th, A. D. 2014.
Bill was born on November 2, 1927 in Abbeville, SC to the late William J. Reid, Sr. and Mary Shelley Reid.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Nancy Edwards Reid of Six Mile, SC; daughter Laura Reid Hemmings of Mauldin, SC; son William J. Reid III and wife Ellison of Clemson; daughter Sandra Reid Boney and husband Durham of Columbia; grandchildren Kathryne and Bob Hemmings, Caroline, Will, Mary Shelley, and Jackson Reid, Matthew and Anna Grace Boney; brother Oscar H. Reid and wife Marilyn of Abbeville, one niece and three nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was also predeceased by brother Wayne Alexander Reid of Indialantic, FL.
Bill enlisted in the army during World War II on his 17th birthday and served until the war ended. After the war he served in the S.C. National Guard and as the General's Aid.
He received his undergraduate degree from Erskine College and served as field representative and professor of chemistry and physics. He received his Master of Science degree in chemistry from Duke University and a Ph. D. in Physics from Clemson University.
He served as Chairman of the Science and Engineering Department at Jacksonville State University from 1968-1994. During his tenure at Jacksonville State, he published 28 professional papers and served as Chairman of the Alabama Academy of Physics and President of Alabama Physics Teachers. He was a member of ODK national honor society, Sigma Pi Sigma physics honor society, Phi Lambda Upsilon chemical honor society and Sigma Xi national research society, and was known throughout the Physics community for seminars on teaching physics with demonstrations.
He was also active in civic life and was named Abbeville Jaycee Man of the Year and later Kiwanian of the Year in Jacksonville.
In 1995 Bill retired, and he and Nancy moved back to his native state. He was a member of Lawrence Chapel United Methodist Church and the Clemson Rotary Club.
Not only a scientist, Bill was truly a "Renaissance man" and had a multitude of interests, in particular history. An avid reader for his entire life, he could discuss any topic from revolutionary-era South Carolina and unsolved mysteries to quantum physics" and published professional papers on Physics, History, and Archaeology.
He was a true Southern gentleman, an humble servant of God and his fellow man, and a loving father, grandfather, and husband. Whether he was educating high-school physics teachers, post-graduates in college, or three and four-year-olds at his wife's nursery school, he eagerly instructed them all with equal kindness and respect.
There will be a visitation at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home at 3:00, Sunday, August 24, 2014. A memorial service following at 4:00 and he will be interred in a private service at Lawrence Chapel Cemetery.
The family would like to particularly thank the staff of The Sterling House of Central for six years of love and devotion to Bill and his family. We ask any memorials to be made to The Sterling House, 133 Vickery Drive, Central, SC 29630.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or at the funeral home.
Central, SC
Dr. William James Reid, Jr., 86, went to join his heavenly Father on Wednesday night, August 20th, A. D. 2014.
Bill was born on November 2, 1927 in Abbeville, SC to the late William J. Reid, Sr. and Mary Shelley Reid.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Nancy Edwards Reid of Six Mile, SC; daughter Laura Reid Hemmings of Mauldin, SC; son William J. Reid III and wife Ellison of Clemson; daughter Sandra Reid Boney and husband Durham of Columbia; grandchildren Kathryne and Bob Hemmings, Caroline, Will, Mary Shelley, and Jackson Reid, Matthew and Anna Grace Boney; brother Oscar H. Reid and wife Marilyn of Abbeville, one niece and three nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was also predeceased by brother Wayne Alexander Reid of Indialantic, FL.
Bill enlisted in the army during World War II on his 17th birthday and served until the war ended. After the war he served in the S.C. National Guard and as the General's Aid.
He received his undergraduate degree from Erskine College and served as field representative and professor of chemistry and physics. He received his Master of Science degree in chemistry from Duke University and a Ph. D. in Physics from Clemson University.
He served as Chairman of the Science and Engineering Department at Jacksonville State University from 1968-1994. During his tenure at Jacksonville State, he published 28 professional papers and served as Chairman of the Alabama Academy of Physics and President of Alabama Physics Teachers. He was a member of ODK national honor society, Sigma Pi Sigma physics honor society, Phi Lambda Upsilon chemical honor society and Sigma Xi national research society, and was known throughout the Physics community for seminars on teaching physics with demonstrations.
He was also active in civic life and was named Abbeville Jaycee Man of the Year and later Kiwanian of the Year in Jacksonville.
In 1995 Bill retired, and he and Nancy moved back to his native state. He was a member of Lawrence Chapel United Methodist Church and the Clemson Rotary Club.
Not only a scientist, Bill was truly a "Renaissance man" and had a multitude of interests, in particular history. An avid reader for his entire life, he could discuss any topic from revolutionary-era South Carolina and unsolved mysteries to quantum physics" and published professional papers on Physics, History, and Archaeology.
He was a true Southern gentleman, an humble servant of God and his fellow man, and a loving father, grandfather, and husband. Whether he was educating high-school physics teachers, post-graduates in college, or three and four-year-olds at his wife's nursery school, he eagerly instructed them all with equal kindness and respect.
There will be a visitation at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home at 3:00, Sunday, August 24, 2014. A memorial service following at 4:00 and he will be interred in a private service at Lawrence Chapel Cemetery.
The family would like to particularly thank the staff of The Sterling House of Central for six years of love and devotion to Bill and his family. We ask any memorials to be made to The Sterling House, 133 Vickery Drive, Central, SC 29630.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or at the funeral home.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William J. Reid, please visit our flower store.
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