Douglas Arthur Reid

Douglas A. Reid, 88, of Norwalk, Conn., beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away September 15, 2022, with his family by his side.

The son of Daisy Ferrell and Douglas Reid, he was born July 13, 1934, in Mount Vernon, N.Y., and grew up in New York City and Westchester County. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1951 and entered the electrician apprentice training program for Local 501, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He entered the U.S. Army in 1954, and following training at Fort Dix, N.J. and Aberdeen, Md., he was assigned to the 48th Artillery Battalion of the 7th Infantry Division and served in Korea. He married his wife, Phyllis (nee Caporale) on April 9, 1955, before leaving for overseas. On his return, he resumed his career as an electrician.

He spent nearly thirty years running jobs in Westchester and lower Fairfield County before he became involved in the hierarchy of Local 501. He was elected Treasurer of the Local in 1990 and became the assistant business manager in 1990. He served as the director of apprentice training when Local 501 merged with Local 3 of New York City. He continued to serve as director of apprentice training until he retired in 1999. He remained an active union member until his death, celebrating 70 years as an IBEW brother.

While he served his Local, he also worked tirelessly for the cause of organized labor. He was a teacher in the Local 501 apprenticeship program for 16 years before becoming its director and was chairman of the Local 501 scholarship program. He was a member of the Norwalk, later the Fairfield County Labor Council for more than a decade. In 1987, then-Governor William O’Neill named him to the state Electrical Work Examining Board, where he served for several years. He was on the Executive Committee of the Fairfield County AFL-CIO, the Greenwich Building Trades and an ad hoc committee of the Connecticut Department of Labor to improve apprentice training in the state.

Doug was a faithful parishioner of St. Matthew’s, where he was an active part of the New Horizons group, and devoted to stocking the parish food pantry. He was a lector, a member of the Knights of Columbus Saint Matthew Council 14360, and led Bible studies. He was also an avid NASCAR and New York Mets fan, and loved vacationing in Maine.

He is survived by his “bride” of 67 years, Phyllis, his daughter, Diana Beddows and her husband, Jim, of New Milford, son, Douglas Reid II of Lusby, Md., and two grandchildren, Robertson Reid Tuomala of New York and Emilyn Reid Tuomala of Arlington, Va. He was predeceased by his sister, Beverly Bumgarner, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM September 27, 2022, at St, Matthew’s. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Matthew’s New Horizons Scholarship Fund.