One of Hastings’ most well-known and beloved citizens, the Rev. Steven Lee Reid, died Saturday at age 69.
With Reid's death, friends say the Barry County community has lost an endearing man who left an inspiring legacy of compassion. He had an expertise for connecting resources through churches and human service agencies to help financially struggling residents. Reid accomplished that through his work for more than 30 years as executive director for nonprofit Love, Inc., which became Barry County Cares in 2014.
Friends often called him Mr. Love because he was such a countywide icon for the agency.
Reid also was known for his insatiable appetite for live music and bringing many well-known and local singers and musicians to Hastings Summerfest stages, as well as creating other musical venues for the public.
Reid struggled with Parkinson's disease for many years. When his condition worsened earlier this month, he was hospitalized. Then he began receiving hospice care at his home where he died while his wife, Joyce, and other family members were by his side.
“I have been so blessed to be part of his life,” Joyce said in a telephone interview. The couple had celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary Jan. 3. Their first date was at Hastings Summerfest in 2014.
“I'm looking at a picture right now of us with Barry McGuire and John York when they were the Summerfest feature,” Joyce said. “Steve finagled the opportunity to have dinner with them the next day. I thought, 'Wow, this guy is pretty cool to hang around with.’ ”
He proposed to her soon after, and she recalled, “I couldn't say no to this guy. We were married the following January [2015]. It's been so nice. He's just been a man who loved me and brought me on board for a fun new world … It's been so good.
“... It was a learning experience with the Parkinson's … He was needing something different for treatment. So, we tried this new way of delivery of the same medicine, and it helped manage the Parkinson shaking,” she said. “He could move much better and get around better and provided us opportunities to travel together to different places around the country. We went back to where he went to college in Southern California and he showed me around … He enjoyed reconnecting with some of his past and being part of Summerfest for many summers after that.
“The friends he made around this community – I've been so honored to get to know them and be a part of their lives ... and getting acquainted with his family. They are fun people to be with and be a part of.”
Reid's first wife, the former Joyce Elaine Schiek, died in 2011. They met in California, and were the parents of Justin and Amber Reid. Ironically, Reid's surviving spouse and his first wife shared the same first and middle names. His surviving spouse is the former Joyce Elaine Gilbert Griffin.
Reid's daughter Amber, who retired in 2019 from the U.S. Air Force and lives near Baltimore, Md., reflected that even though her dad was “obviously a very busy guy, he always made it to my brother's and my school events. We were always doing things as a family, going to church together … He always had time for us.”
Amber recalled that, when she was in high school, her dad would take her to concerts she wanted to attend, even if he didn't care for the style of music and songs of the group performing.
She noted that her father had a unique hobby of keeping lists of the names of every song he heard at concerts and other musical venues. He was known for attending almost every concert that took place within a 50-mile radius of his Hastings home.
“Even if I was just practicing with my flute, he would write down the songs,” Amber said. He was very committed to that, keeping a set-list … He was very detailed at keeping notes about a variety of things. No matter what he did, he did it 100 percent ... whether it was church or if anyone came up to him with an issue, he would run it down and make it happen. He knew who to call.”
Amber, who has kept her maiden name, and her husband have a 10-year-old daughter, Ofelia, and friends remember how proud Reid was to be a grandfather.
Steve Reid was born at Pennock Hospital Feb. 13, 1951, the son of Don and Dorothy Reid, who survives. Don died in 2003.
As far back as kindergarten, Steve Reid was spinning stories, he said in a 1991 Reminder interview. He had fond memories participating in musicals at Hastings High School, such as “The Sound of Music” and “The Most Happy Fella.”
Reid was among the top 10 students when he graduated from Hastings High School in 1969. He graduated summa cum laude when he earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Southern California College in 1973.
His first job after college was selling air conditioning units until he landed a fifth-grade teaching position at Wilmington Christian School near Long Beach where he taught from 1975 to 1978.
During his spare time when he lived in California, Reid enjoyed performing skits at a Christian night club called The Filling Station.
He served in a number of positions as an ordained minister after the family moved back to Michigan in 1978.
He served as dean of students at Faith Tech Bible School in Scottville while also being the pastor of Smith Corners United Methodist Church. When the school moved to another location, the Reids decided to move to Hastings where he went to work in the former Barry County grants office, and he served as pastor at Peace and Quimby United Methodist churches, located between Hastings and Nashville, until January 1984. That's when he became assistant pastor of Word of Faith Fellowship in Hastings. At another time, he also was youth director at Hastings' First Presbyterian Church.
In 1986, Reid accepted the position of executive director of Love, Inc. Reid always liked to explain that the Inc. was the acronym for “in the name of Christ.” He retired from that position in 2015.
During the early years of the local Love, Inc., Reid helped the organization's founder, Dr. Virgil Gulker of Holland, start other Love, Inc. agencies around the United States. Gulker even mentioned Reid in a book he wrote.
Over the years, Reid was awarded the prestigious Liberty Bell Award from the Barry County Bar Association in 1993, was selected to be grand marshal of the 2012 Christmas parades when organizers thought he was a fitting choice for the parade theme of “Joy to the World,” and was named Hastings High School's Alumnus of the Year in 2014. He received an official proclamation of honor from the City of Hastings in 2018.
When he received the Liberty Bell Award, attorney Bruce Gee made the presentation and said Reid was selected as the year's outstanding citizen because of his commitment to God, his family and the community. Gee said Reid represented a citizen who stood for truth and justice.
Dave Storms, YMCA executive director at the time, also spoke at the county circuit court award gathering, saying Reid “loves God and shows that in everything he does … He loves everyone.”
Reid also had a great love for live music and once said in an interview that a big factor in his love for music was Herb Moyer, his music teacher in Hastings from seventh through 12th grades.
Music at annual Hastings Summerfest events were enlivened by Reid's volunteer service with Steve Steward to book, promote and emcee all the musical groups that performed on multiple stages from 1980 to 2018. Steward joined Reid for more than 20 of those years. Both men were honored in 2018 with official proclamations from the City of Hastings in appreciation for their service to citizens and Summerfest events.
“The teamwork we created was something that I'll certainly miss,” Steward said, calling Reid a good friend. “In the last couple of years, we retired from the Summerfest. Steve helped after I left, but not in the full capacity of booking all the bands.”
Some of the entertainers they booked were national touring and recording artists, including the Byrds and Beatles tribute bands. Others included McGuire, Ray Overholt, Bill Haley's Comets and Bobby Holley.
Another way Reid shared his love for music with the public was when he started a free venue with live music called Musicians' Showcase. For 10 years, the showcases were held twice a month Thursday evenings at the former Arby's restaurant in Hastings. The first showcase was Feb. 28, 1991.
As the volunteer music coordinator, Reid estimated in a 2001 Reminder article, that more than 7,000 songs were performed during the 250 shows of the Showcase's tenure. Songs ranged from country to rock 'n' roll and gospel. Each show was at least two hours long, and the restaurant would nearly be packed.
“It was a great ride,” he said in the article, noting that he loved helping musicians boost their audience exposure.
“From a spiritual side, I know of at least four people who made a profession to accept Christ as their Savior on nights when the Showcase featured Christian music,” he was quoted as saying.
In recent years, Reid revived the Musicians' Showcase for a time at the State Street Diner.
Another passion of Reid's was spending many weekends and evenings in past years sharing his one-man biblical dramas he had written. He would use a monologue form to portray the roles of such biblical notables as Peter, Joseph, Jonah and Noah to area audiences as well as in other towns in Michigan, California, Illinois and even during a mission trip to Mexico.
He especially enjoyed telling the story of Easter as seen through the eyes of Peter, depicting the 3½ years the disciple spent with Jesus. He first presented that drama in 1980 when he was pastor of Peace and Quimby United Methodist churches. By 1991, he had presented that drama about 200 times at various venues, ranging from festivals to nursing homes and conventions.
Another famous figure Reid portrayed for more than 30 years in Hastings was Santa Claus. He enjoyed donning his red suit to visit with children at area businesses during the pre-Christmas season and playing the role of Santa on the Holly Trolley. To enhance riders' holiday spirits, Reid scheduled singers and/or musicians to perform during his stints on the trolley and had plenty of jokes to tell as well.
In the past few years, Reid's wife Joyce joined the fun by dressing as Mrs. Claus and telling jokes, too.
Humor was never far from Reid’s community involvement.
“People say a person has to be out of their mind to do all this, but it’s the only mind I have,” Reid said in 2012 regarding his role as Santa’s helper.
When Reid knew many of the children on the Trolley, it was a big surprise and thrill for the kids when Santa addressed them by their first names.
In a Reminder article about the 25th anniversary of Love, Inc., Reid said he became executive director when the former Thornapple Foundation, which has evolved into today’s Barry Community Foundation, awarded grant funds to provide for the hiring of a part-time director.
“I was just going on staff that month at Thornapple Valley Church as the associate pastor, so I had two new jobs in one month,” Reid said in the article. “Love, Inc. has been a wonderful opportunity to see the churches and civic groups and organizations all come together and work together. We make referrals to agencies, churches, and it’s worked well together.
“With 63 churches cooperating, it gives the churches an opportunity to refer people to Love, Inc. so the churches don’t have to try to figure out whether a need is truly legitimate or if it’s something that can be handled through an agency.”
A big role for Reid was verifying needs.
“Probably one of my favorite stories is the time a lady came in to the office and sat down. I didn’t know who she was, and she started to cry,” he said. “She just kept crying. I try to make people smile, and I thought ‘I have to do something.’ Finally, I said, ‘It’s OK to cry,’ and I handed her the Kleenex, but I said, ‘If you keep crying, I have a stain on the carpeting over here, if you could move over closer to that.’ Fortunately, she laughed. If she didn’t laugh, that might have been my last day. She thought that was pretty funny.
“I said, ‘OK, what’s your name?’ And then she shared her name. She needed food, and she had never asked for food before in her life, and she was so embarrassed. So, for her that was a very traumatic experience, and we were able to put her in touch with a food bank, and within five minutes, it was all worked out.
“When you’re going through a tough time and you’ve never asked for food, it is tough.”
Reid always had high praise for the work and talents of the volunteers at Love, Inc.
“God has been very faithful, and I think a lot of people have prayed for us and that’s why things have gone so smoothly. We are very honored … working together for the cause of Christ,” Reid said in an article about the organization.
Tina Horrigan, who worked as a volunteer at Love, Inc./Barry County Cares, became the agency's executive director after Reid retired.
“Before taking on the role of executive director, it was an honor to witness Rev. Steve Reid and his passion for serving Barry County and beyond,” she said this week. “I was inspired by his faith, fortitude, compassion and humor. Rev. Reid will be missed dearly by the agency … and those he served and all who miss seeing him walking around Hastings and at the musical events.”
Fred Willson, president of the Barry County Cares Board of Directors, first met Reid when Willson's wife, Jackie, was one of Reid's volunteers.
“After his Parkinson's was diagnosed, he [Reid] spoke at our church, and I began to realize that maybe he needed some help in the office,” Willson said in an interview this week.
Soon after volunteering in 2014, Willson was asked to serve on the board. He said he admired Reid's enthusiasm for music and his work for Barry County Cares.
“I learned an enormous amount from the way he handled people in need and the issues that came up in the office. He would do it firmly but compassionately and very wisely.”
Willson said Reid had a knack for fitting together all the responsibilities of executive director – “the day-to-day working with people, the ministry, the outreach and community activities.”
Willson chuckled when he thought of the time Reid told him 'Love, Inc. never did any fundraising.' “I said, 'Steve, you do fund-raising every time you walk down the street, and every time you go in a store or show up at a church service.' That really was the secret – that interpersonal connection he had with so many people.
“I'm pleased that we've been able to keep Barry County Cares moving forward. Tina has done an excellent job [succeeding Reid as executive director].”
Long-time volunteer at Love, Inc./Barry County Cares, Donna Tagg, who worked in the office from around 2002 until she retired last March, said Reid was always “a gentle person. He was always sensitive to people's needs, no matter who they were.”
She recalled when Reid first started showing symptoms of Parkinson's, before it was diagnosed, and he didn't know for a time what was causing the shaking of his limbs. Despite that, “he did things diligently to keep going,” Tagg said.
Parkinson's “didn't stop him from doing things he loved to do,” such as going to concerts and being active in the community, she said.
A private celebration of life for Reid is planned, and a memorial concert is tentatively being planned for sometime in the summer or fall.