Get up and do something

On Thursday November 14 the world lost a hero. 

Grandpa Bill passed away peacefully surrounded by friends and family. I have a lot of mixed emotions and am not grieving the way a normal person grieves. It's hard to grieve when you have the most adorable 10 week old laughing at you while you cry. After so much loss throughout my life, I bury my emotions and it's easier to deal with them later. 

Grandpa has been sick for many years. And constant "This might be it" trips to visit him in the hospital. It happens a few times each year. It wasn't a surprise. He was airlifted on Sunday to Barnes. He had a great day, a surge, on Monday. But then Monday night took a turn and didn't recover. 

My father gave a great eulogy.  Grandpa was in WWII and when he landed on the beach  near Zamboanga in the Philippines, he had two choices. Lay there and get killed or get up and do something about it.

He received three Bronze stars, two for valor and bravery in combat. And one of those reads “for organizing and leading Philippine infantry in attacking and overcoming three Japanese machine gun positions.

So my father challenges all of us to Get Up and Do Something.

Grandpa's obituary:

William E. “Bill” Reed, 87, of Red Bud, Illinois, formerly of Belleville, IL,born Thursday, August 19, 1926, in Saint Louis, MO, died Thursday, November 14, 2013 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Bill was retired from CBS/Viacom, having worked at Channel 4 television station for 35 years. He was a member of Saint Matthew United Methodist Church in Belleville Illinois. He was a volunteer for the Violence Prevention Center, Meals on Wheels, former Boy Scout and Cub Scout leader, Khoury League coach, a member of IBEW Local 4. He was a decorated combat veteran of WWII, having served in the Philippines and Japan with the 41st Infantry Division.

He was preceded in death by:

• Father:  Henry Clay Reed 
• Mother and Step-father:  Frances nee Domagolla and Charles Dougharty
• Mother and Father-in-law:  Jesse and Pearl nee Rhine Fox
• Brother and Sister-in-Law:  Bob and Beryl Reed
• Nephew:  Larry Lee

Surviving:

• Wife:  Wilma “Jean” nee Fox Reed of Red Bud, IL 
• Son and Daughter-in-Law:  William Michael and Terri Reed of Red Bud, IL 
• Grandchildren:
  • Melissa Reed of Red Bud, IL 
  • Meghan (Jason) Guilford of Maryland Heights 
  • William J. (Kelci) Reed of Godfrey, IL 
• Great-Grandson:  William P. Guilford
• Niece:  Sandra (Dan) Malan of St. Louis, MO
• Cousin:  Reed (Carol) James of St. Joseph, MO
• Great Nieces and Nephews
• Special Cousins of the Rhine and Fox families

Memorials: Memorials may be made to the St. Matthew United Methodist Church, St. Peter United Church of Christ in Red Bud, Monroe County Humane Society or St. Louis Honor Flight