Jane Reid Obituary

Reid, Jane

Jane Reid, 90, of Chicago Illinois was born March 31, 1934 to the late Lloyd and Lois Maitland, and passed away on Monday, February 3, 2025.

She was the beloved wife of the late Reverend James Reid; loving mother of David (Sue), Cherilyn, Jeffrey (Katy), Steven (Dante) and the late Mark; cherished grandmother of Rachel, Adam, Nick, Kate, Jessica and Timothy; great grandmother of Henry, Reid, Teddy, Sofie, Leo, Rebecca, Alexander, Colette and Simone; dear sister of Jack and sister-in-law Judy, sister of the late Donald, and fond aunt of many nieces and nephews.

As a student at Jones Commercial High School in Chicago, Jane was voted "most likely to succeed", was class treasurer, honor society member, taught Sunday School at Armitage Avenue Methodist Church and planned to attend Wright Junior College to study economics and comptometry. Her career took a detour when she became a pastor's wife at eighteen, and with five children by age 28, she threw her boundless energy into raising a family. All while tending to the demanding duties of a minister's wife at the ten or so churches they were assigned to throughout the city of Chicago and Northern Illinois.

Jane was active in the civil rights movement of the mid sixties, including joining a bus trip to Selma, Alabama for a civil rights march. While serving in their next to last parish at The United Methodist Church in Oregon, Illinois, Jane was finally able to resume her academic career, getting her associates degree at Sauk Valley College and her bachelors degree at National Louis University. She went on to become the Executive Director of the Yellow Bird Senior Center of Ogle County in Oregon, Illinois.

After the death of her younger son Mark in an auto accident, the difficult decision was made to donate his organs. Part of the way she and Jim dealt with their grief was by traveling around the State to promote the organ donation designation on driver's licenses, which was a new program introduced by Governor Jim Edgar. They also established a scholarship in Mark's name at North Central College where Mark was a senior and student body president.

Having lived in Church-owned parsonages all their married life, Jane and Jim bought their dream house - a two bedroom cottage on Bohners lake in Burlington, Wisconsin. They retired there and the house on the lake became the scene of many gatherings of family and friends and the source of great memories for her grandchildren.

After Jim's death in 1994, Jane became active in the Burlington Women's Club, took a trip with an elder hostel group to Yakima Washington to assist Habitat for Humanity, and became a volunteer at Burlington Memorial Hospital. There she met fellow volunteer and widower Wenzel (Bud) Tauscher who became her dear companion until his death in 2008.

Jane loved travel. Throughout her life there were many vacations to Florida, California and two trips to Europe in the late sixties with all five kids in tow, which she somehow managed with her "frugal" management of the family finances.

Jane will be greatly missed and fondly remembered for her unconditional love, her adventurous spirit and her razor sharp wit, which stayed with her till the very end.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Mark A Reid Scholarship Fund at www.give.northcentralcollege.edu

A memorial service and reception will be held March 1 at 2:00 PM at First United Methodist Church, 516 Church St., Evanston Illinois

.

Sign Guest Book at legacy.suntimes.com