Reed Whitesides Obituary (1923 - 2019)

Our beloved, Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather, Uncle, Son, Brother and most treasured role of Husband Reed Burton Whitesides was born to Frank Lewis and Nettia Belinda Burton Whitesides on the family farm in Layton, Utah on July 23, 1923. Reed learned how to work hard growing up on the family farm in humble circumstances. As a teenager he received the 4-H award for "The Healthiest Boy in Utah." He was a hard worker who taught his seven children the value of work. Everything he put his mind to he accomplished. Including dating a young lady who caught his eye at a high school dance while both were on dates with other people. During the night he would move his dance partner throughout the dance floor to be able to wink at and flirt with the girl of his dreams, Allene Wood. This was the beginning of an eternal romance. Reed and Allene were married on January 20, 1943 in the Salt Lake City Temple. Reed joined the war effort as a newlywed, serving with honor in the United States Army Air Force. At the end of World War II he chose to be with his beautiful bride and children as well as further his education. He attended both Utah State University and Weber State University while working multiple jobs to provide for his family. He was an entrepreneur, gemologist, and owned Monarch Jewelry in Kaysville, Utah. He was an expert watch repairman. He worked as an agent for New York Life Insurance along with other insurance companies. His war time experience opened doors for him to work for the Air Force as a civilian at Hill Air Force Base in northern Utah. He transferred to the Air National Guard and accepted a position in Arlington, Virginia working from the Pentagon and finished his career at Andrews Air Force base in Maryland. His character and dedication led to many professional achievements and awards. Reed had a love of music throughout his life, as a young boy he played the clarinet. Reed was an exceptional singer with a beautiful baritone voice. While attending Weber State University he was cast as the lead in the musical "South Pacific." With the encouragement of his father-in-law, he auditioned for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and performed with them for twenty-two years. During this time, both Reed and Allene traveled the world as ambassadors and missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Reed shared his testimony through music by regularly performing at church, funerals, and other events. Reed was considered a master gardener and had a talent for landscaping. Everything he touched turned green and was beautiful. In each of the neighborhoods he lived in, his vegetable gardens, lawns, flowers and trees would gain recognition and praise. After retirement from the government, he began another career starting a landscaping company with his daughter, Wendi Keilwert, called "A Bloomin Affair." Reed had an engineering mind and was able to fix anything from a toaster to a computer. He took care of all the services on the automobiles. He could take things apart and put them back together again in working order. He marveled at the advances in technology and was an early adopter of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook as a way of staying close to his immediate and extended family. He would often call, facetime, email with his posterity, showing how involved and supportive he was in their lives. One of the favorite things he did was to create a personalized card, to celebrate life's special events. Inside each card he would choose a picture of the recipient, that he would have taken, that was always highly anticipated. Reed played in the family fantasy football league, making the playoffs this year. He was a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As an example to those around him, Reed was a missionary in action ministering to his brothers and sisters in his influence. Some of his favorite callings included serving with his sweetheart, Allene on a full-time mission in Nauvoo, Illinois for two and half years. Then serving together for over twenty years in the Washington D.C. Temple. He often bore his testimony to his family through his example and helping each one of his posterity to stay strong and serve the Lord. He was preceded in death by his wife beloved wife, Allene Wood Whitesides, on February 23, 2017, 1 brother (Jay), 4 sisters (Elma, Lois, Ima, Ila), grandsons Jared John Keilwert, C. Cody Christen, and Jordan Don Whitesides. He is survived by seven children Tamera Miner, (James Oneil) Judy Kay Bennett, (F. Edward Bennett deceased), Barry Reed Whitesides (Roxanne deceased, Beth ) Cindy Ballou, Roland Whitesides (Christine),Wendi Keilwert (Greg), Jason Whitesides (Melanie). He had 21 grandchildren, 5 step-grandchildren and 51 great-grandchildren. 3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Funeral services will be held at 12:00pm with a viewing from 9:00am to 11:30am on Tuesday, December 10th, 2019 at Nelson Family Mortuary, 4780 N. University Ave. Provo, UT. To express condolences and read the full obituary visit www.NelsonMortuary.com