Reid generous with cuppa coffee, spot of cash for those on hard times

TODD DANIELSON

April 18, 2008 at 12:18PM AKST

For The Cordova Times

Editor’s note: Bill Reid Sr. was found dead at 10:12 a.m. on March 31, at Sunset View Apartments in Cordova.

I’d like to take a moment to remember Bill Reid Sr. and how he affected not only my life but also the lives of so many other people I knew well in Cordova back in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Reid was without doubt a one of a kind. He had a heart of gold with unlimited generosity. I cannot begin to express how many times he would help me along during tough times, with cups and cups of free coffee. Many times he would send me back to the kitchen for a meal on him.

No one will ever know the amounts of money he "loaned" to so many people, whether local residents or from Outside, who were strapped for cash until they got out fishing and got a check from the canneries.

I know for a fact it was a lot of money and also that he got burnt on many loans. But that never deterred him from helping people in need.

I recall vividly the winter of 1985.

I was rooming there and did a certain amount of work on his building during the winter and couldn’t wait to get out fishing to make some money.

I kept track of what I owed Bill. In fact I owed Bill more than $3,800. About mid-season of fishing I went to square up. It was all I could do to get him to take $900.

That was only one instance. There were many many other people whom Bill dealt with in the same manner.

I did a lot of work for Bill in the winters of the ’80s and roomed there most winters. I knew all the old-timers of that time frame. Marvin Fox, Charlie and Sally Moore, Howard Johnson, another great fellow, Chet Cheshier, Clell Maisse, Black Nick, Dale Johanssen, Jack Joslin, Papa Paul Papus, Al Weathers.

I get heartsick bringing up memories like this. Still, I’m glad to have met those folks.

I remember the time he kicked Black Nick out of the Coho for cooking seal oil up in his room again, which stunk up the whole place. Bill warned him to never do that again, but he did.

There was the time right before the Iceworm parade that he sent Scotty, his son, down in the basement to set off cockroach gas bombs. It wound up everyone had to evacuate the bar, restaurant and their hotel rooms for three hours right as the Iceworm parade was going down Main Street in front of the bar. He lost a bit of business that time.

In closing I’d like to say this. One early morning in 1987 I was drinking coffee down in the bar. Just he and I were in the bar. Bill was getting ready to open the bar up.

He had his foot up on the beer cooler, elbow on his knee and hand under his chin staring out into nowhere. I pondered the man for a while and I finally broke the silence by saying these words.

"Bill Reid, I’ll never forget you as long as I live."

He turned to me and gave a little chuckle.

Here’s to you Bill Reid. I haven’t forgotten.

Todd Danielson is still fishing and is from Grand Marais, Minn.