JAMES REED
October 13, 1939 - May 9, 2022
James Reed passed away on May 9th after a courageous battle with kidney cancer. James (aka Jim, Jimmy, Grandpa, Baba, Buddlite) was born in Seattle, Washington to Leonard and Margaret Reed. He grew up in Tulare, California where his father ran Reed’s Service station. He graduated from Tulare High School in 1957 and went on to attend Stanford University where he earned a B.A. in History in 1961, and M.A.’s in History and Education in 1963. James loved school and was a lifelong learner, studying business and science at UCLA, and later the law.
While at Stanford, he met and married the mother of his children, Christina, and moved to Corona, California to begin his teaching career. He taught briefly at Corona High School before moving to the newly-opened Norco High School where he taught U.S. History, Economics, Government, Photography, and Yearbook for 35 years. He also taught night classes at Cypress College.
After teaching for nearly two decades, James turned his focus to the law, taking night classes and receiving his J.D. from the University of La Verne in 1984. After being admitted to the California Bar, he joined a small law firm in the area, but after a year he decided that he liked studying law more than practicing it, and he returned to teaching high school. He spent a year in England in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange program. James retired from teaching in June of 2001.
James loved to travel. He took full advantage of summer breaks from teaching by packing up the family’s Land Cruiser and Jayco tent trailer to camp throughout the western US. Whether it was camping, backpacking, sleeping in a car, or even the occasional motel room, James was an explorer at heart, and he was happiest visiting the wonders of the U.S. and the world with his children, grandchildren, or on his own. And, as the family documentarian and an avid photographer, he could always be found at family events with a camera in his hands.
When he wasn’t teaching or in the great outdoors, James was busy experimenting with his many craft hobbies, including painting, stained glass art, wine making, or bread making. But, his true passion was woodworking. James built decks, doll houses, toy boxes, hobby horses, wood dinosaurs, boat cribs, and wooden boats, among many other projects. He spent the last 25 years of his life building a mahogany speedboat from scratch in his garage, a true monument to perseverance.
In retirement, James volunteered his time to a host of community organizations. With his partner, Leann, he contributed countless hours to Meals on Wheels, The Humane Society, Friends of Mount Rubidoux, local environmental causes such as the Tin Mine Canyon clean-up and restoration project, and during fire season he could often be found on a mountain peak as a volunteer fire lookout. He also spent many years as a board member for the Corona Village Grove HOA, where he lived in a lakeside home since 1987.
James is survived by his brother, Gary, his three children, Rick, Shawnessy, and Mark, and his six grandchildren, Brandon, Kyle, Kelsey, Kathryn, Matthew, and Jenna.
Jim touched many during his lifetime of teaching, travel and service, and will be deeply missed by all.