Charles O. Reed, 84
Was U.S. veteran; was well-known brick layer

FITCHBURG - Charles O. Reed, 84, of 228 Bridal Cross Road, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007, surrounded by his loving family, at HealthAlliance Hospital/ Leominster, after an illness.

He was born in Fitchburg on Jan. 28, 1922, the son of the late Leslie and Faye (Hurd) Reed. He was raised in Westminster, and is a graduate of the Worcester Boys Trade School in Worcester. He was inducted into the Army-Air Force on Nov. 9, 1942 and served in the United States performing many different jobs, in Florida, South Carolina, and Biloxi Mississippi for airplane mechanic schooling, before being discharged in February of 1946 at Westover Air Force Base.

Mr. Reed married Doris Flinkstrom on April 29, 1961, and lived in Ashburnham for 29 years, and then they lived on Cape Cod for 16 years, before returning to Fitchburg in August of 2006.

He was a bricklayer for the F.G. Saunders Co. Inc. in Gardner, he had worked on many buildings but some of his more noteable were at Cape Canaveral in Florida, and Fitchburg State College. He operated the Reed Farm in Ashburnham for years.

Mr. Reed was a life member of the Hope Lodge of Masons in Gardner, also a life member of the Turnpike Rod and Gun Club in Ashburnham. He was an avid fisherman, gardener, card player, bowler and enjoyed woodworking. He was involved with the Boy Scouts in Ashburnham during the 1960's and 1970's where he helped his three sons successfully become Eagle Scouts.

He leaves his wife of 45 years, Doris V. (Flinkstrom) Reed; his five children and their spouses, Gary and Linda Reed of Fitchburg, Michael J. and Julia Reed of Sebastopol, Calif., Donna H. (Reed) and Danny Watson of Stuart, Fla., Ronald W. and Mary F. Reed of Ashburnham, and Faye Reed of Quincy; 10 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; one brother, Lawrence Reed of Fitchburg; one sister, Rowena Bourgeois of Bangor, Maine; and many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his oldest daughter, Ellen (Reed) Cooper, who died in 2004; and one brother, Earl Reed and one sister, Doris Miller.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Bresnahan Community Center, for the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of America, P.O. Box 297, Ashburnham, MA 01430.

The Westminster Chapel of the Sawyer- Miller-Masciarelli Funeral Home directed arrangements.