"It is with great sadness for me to announce that my father, Donald Reid, passed away peacefully on Monday 15th July after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Many of you knew Donald personally and how he founded the business from his living room in the 60s and built it up over the next 40 years. He has been a constant source of support to me and he was immensely proud that the business is still going strong."
Daniel Reid
Donald Reid 1933 - 2019
On Monday 15th July Donald Peter Reid of Cookham Dean, Berkshire, died aged 85. A longstanding Maidenhead businessman, active member of the community and beloved husband and father, he leaves behind his wife, Moyagh, their six children and seventeen grandchildren.
Donald was born in 1933 in Charing Cross Hospital to William (‘Bill’) and Anna Reid. At the start of the war he was evacuated from London to a family in Hungerford. He was reunited with his parents in 1943 after they had moved to Maidenhead. Donald attended Maidenhead Grammar School. A talented sportsman, he left school at 17 with dreams of becoming a professional footballer, playing for Maidenhead, Reading and Oxford.
Having discovered an aptitude - and liking - for finance during his National Service, he trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant at a firm in Maidenhead called Bingham Jones. He then worked at Stoy Hayward in London before setting up his own firm in Maidenhead, Donald Reid & Co, in 1965, initially from his living room and later from offices on Broadway. In 1956, he met Moyagh McGrath, and they married in 1961. Together they raised six children: Damian, Jonathan, Charlotte, Anna, James and Daniel. With Moyagh’s support, Donald ran the business for 40 years and was immensely proud that it is still going strong from its premises on King Street, Maidenhead, under the stewardship of his youngest son Daniel.
Donald was known for his love of life, and his passion for nature, sport, classical music, and fine food and drink. A keen ornithologist, he got the bird-watching bug at a young age. Aged 11, he set off on his bike to cycle to Norfolk to spot rare birds. Later in life, he was able to fulfil a long ambition to see the wildlife of East Africa on safari. Another great passion was for opera, kindled by seeing La Boheme at the Royal Opera House on his first wedding anniversary. Taking friends and family to Glyndebourne, laden with picnics, was a highlight of each summer. In retirement Donald revealed a hidden talent for poetry, surprising guests at birthdays, weddings and family events with specially composed humorous verses.
Much loved among a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, Donald’s humour, generosity and good spirits always lifted those around him. Even with six children, their house in Cookham was often full of guests and dinner parties, at which, to the acute embarrassment of his offspring, Donald would regularly be heard laughing at one of his own jokes. A lover of good food and drink, Donald was rarely seen happier than hosting friends on their boat on the Thames, or in the south of France, where the family frequently went on holiday, enjoying a grand crème in a market café or mangling the French language while selecting a choice côte de porc for dinner.
A longstanding Rotarian, Donald was an active member of the community for half a century, chairing the Maidenhead Rotary club in 1979/80 and was a member of the RSPB and the Catenians.
Above all, Donald was a family man. His marriage to Moyagh spanned over half a century; their six children were his proudest achievement. He loved nothing more than spending time with his flourishing band of seventeen grandchildren, recently putting in a sterling performance as a ‘wheelchair goalie’ during a game of football with the grandkids on his 85th birthday.
The third of seven children, Donald was predeceased by his brothers Arthur, Tony, David and Richard. He is survived by his wife Moyagh, his six children, his sister Rosemary and brother John.
The funeral will take place at 11.00 on Thursday 15th August at St John the Baptist, Cookham Dean, SL6 9PD.
For catering purposes, please email funeral@donaldreid.co.uk or phone the office on 01628 760000 if you plan to attend.
Farewell
Be it heaven or hell says my verse
And who knows it may be better or worse
Nobody could love you more than me
Even if you search every known land and sea
Donald Reid, April 2019
