Shigeko Reid

Shigeko Mine Reid, affectionately known as “Chicky”, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family, love and faith.  Born on May 11, 1935, in Osaka, Japan, to Shizuko and Genzaburo Mine, Shigeko’s early life was marked by privilege and entitlement.  She described childhood memories of going to school, taking piano lessons and riding the trains by herself.  Her father created his own future by building a multi-national toothpaste company.  Shigeko’s grandfather and uncle were both senior advisers to some of Japan’s oldest newspapers, the Mainichi Shimbun and the Japan Times.  Wealth and prestige allowed for her family to live in a big house, have maids and the ability to go to “special schools”.  But this life of privilege came at a cost – Shigeko was not permitted to have just any friends.  In cultures where formal bowing was given to her and her wealthy, socially prominent family, Shigeko sometimes felt isolated.  As an only child, her family was her whole world.  They took many trips and enjoyed shopping and exploring Osaka together.  She recalled fishing with her father which she didn’t like because in the end, the fish died.  Her family’s favorite place to visit was Minooh Falls, to see the colorful momiji (maple leaves).  She would have enjoyed seeing all the beautiful fall colors now.

Shigeko’s life changed dramatically during the war, a time of loss and hardship that left lasting impressions on her spirit.  She experienced and saw things that she didn’t talk much about but heavily influenced how she thought and felt about war, violence, bullets and bombs.   Her family lost much of everything that allowed them a materially rich life but she continued to go to special schools where she learned English and a belief and faith in a Christian God.  When it came time for high school, she convinced her family to allow her to attend a Christian school, which required multiple train rides and a long walking commute. She yearned to explore the world beyond the sheltered existence her family had provided.  She often found herself fascinated with people just exploring shops and having the freedom to make choices of their own.

With her English skills and faith in God, she met her future husband, Fred Reid, an American Marine.  Fred became enamored with Shigeko immediately.  He once described meeting her and said she looked like “a little doll.”  He would go to the church where Shigeko would sing in the choir.  They had lunch and movie dates on base where Fred was stationed.  Despite the traditions of her family and the challenges of post-war society, Shigeko and Fred fell in love and with the blessing of her parents were secretly married beginning a 51-year journey together.

In 1955, Shigeko fearfully moved half way around the world into a different culture.  She was criticized by family and friends for breaking traditions and lost touch with many people except her parents and a few family friends.  She didn’t seem to want to look backwards.  With determination and love, she embraced a new life in America with Fred, raising a family and building a home filled with warmth and devotion.  When her father died, concerned, she convinced her mother who we called Obaasan to move to America. Her mother could now be present in her children’s and grandchildren’s lives.

Shigeko lived a full and active life.  She was always proud that physically she could do more than people younger than herself.  She worked for 30 years at the Charcoal Pit and later enjoyed retirement traveling across the United States and Canada with Fred in several different recreational vehicles. Their greatest adventure was their cross country drive to Alaska pulling a 5th wheel trailer.  After Fred’s passing, Shigeko found new purpose with her community. She joined the YMCA, danced, practiced chair yoga, played cards, and made many cherished friends. She was also an active member of the Senior Center and she found joy in outings, dinners, and movies with her circle of companions.  It was a full life.

A gifted and creative soul, Shigeko had a lifelong love of crafts. She painted with watercolors and oils, created ceramics, and designed beautiful lamps, bowls, and plates. Her talents extended to sewing and quilting, making clothes, curtains, pillows, and purses, and she excelled in knitting and crochet. In later years, she embraced paper crafting and delighted in creating original greeting cards for family and friends.

Shigeko’s faith was quiet but a constant guide in her life. She often prayed at home and found joy in music, singing songs from her youth with a smile and laughter.  She wished she had learned how to play the guitar.  She wanted to learn more about a world that was rapidly changing but became less confident because it became increasingly hard to remember new things.

Shigeko was a lover of animals and had many feline friends over the years.  Her most recent cat, Harper brought much comfort and affection as her activities inevitably slowed down.  Time began taking her friends away and eventually she noticed how it was also slowly taking powers and independence from her.   But even after surviving breast cancer, her craft making slowed and she stopped driving, she never let limits stop her from enjoying life.  She liked going to local concerts and shows, having lunch dates with family and friends and enjoyed the park at the river because it reminded her a little of Japan.

She loved her family deeply and always wished for them to remain close.  She loved being a mother and enjoyed when we all got together and wanted us to live even closer to one another.  In the end, although always embracing life, she wasn’t afraid of death and wished to spend her final days in her home.  We were lucky enough to help her do that.  She gave us time to get used to the idea of her not being with us anymore and went with God peacefully when we were ready.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Fred Reid. Shigeko leaves behind her three children—Ida, Christian, and Elizabeth—five grandchildren (Andrew, Lauren, Justin, Emily, and Casey), four great-grandsons (Niall, Nolan, Reid, and Jude), and her cherished cat, Harper.

Her presence, warmth, and creativity will be missed by all who knew her but especially her son Christian, who was her primary caretaker after the passing of Fred.  They met for nightly ice cream indulgence while watching cooking shows and travel videos about Japan.  She would always speak fondly of Japan, the foods she used to eat and the places she had been with family and school.  Those meetings he will miss the most.  “Watashi no okasama, totemo daisuki deshita.  Anatawa watashiwa no ichiban tomodachi deshita. Itsumo anata to tomorrow niaru yo. —Mom, I loved you very much. You were my best friend, and you will always be with me.”

Shigeko loved to visit the local state park every week. Please consider a donation to Fox Point State Park in her memory by visiting delcf.org.