William (Bill) Reid (1934-2018)

It is with sadness that I note the weekend passing of my former colleague, Councilman William (Bill) Reid, who served the First Ward of Plainfield from 2007-2014. A formal obituary was not available at the time of this writing, but below is a 2013 article from TapIntoPlainfield, which provides some interesting details about Bill's life as a master craftsman and artist. Here is the information on services for Bill: Viewing hours are Friday, April 6, from 4:00 – 8:00 pm at Covenant United Methodist Church, located at 631 East Front Street in Plainfield, with the funeral service on Saturday, April 7 at 10:00 am, followed by a repast, both also at Covenant. Deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and extended family. May he rest in peace.

A Look Inside Councilman William Reid’s Home:

Light, Mirrors, Love, and Zebras

BY ANALIS RIVERA

May 27, 2013

PLAINFIELD, NJ - Councilman William Reid invited members of the Youth Organization for Unity to his workshop, garden, and his home, in Plainfield, filled with memories dating back to 1994. Upon approaching the residence, The Alternative Press of Plainfield was greeted by the Councilman's pet cat, who led the way to an open garage filled to the corners with various woods, tools, and miscellaneous items.  Reid invited attendees to smell and identify herbs from his herb garden, which included thyme, chives, basil, bay leaves and many more.

The Councilman was born in 1935 in South Carolina, with a birth deformity in his left arm.  He moved to Plainfield in 1967 when he was 32 years old and lived at his home with his late wife Madelene Reid, an artist, who died of breast cancer. The walls of Reid's home are covered with many of Madelene’s pieces, as well as photos he had taken of her.
Every piece of furniture, art piece, and photo in the Councilman’s home has a story, a meaning and a memory. While Reid's first love his carpentry, he is also a talented photographer, gardener, and story teller. “Creating is a magical thing”, he said. “It’s something we should emphasize with young people all the time.”

Reid has an extensive knowledge of different types of trees/woods, African culture, and clocks. He collects zebras, different stones, textiles, and incorporates mirrors into many of his end tables.  
Although Reid is a resident of Plainfield, he has travelled all over the country, including the states of Washington, North/South Carolina, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.
The Councilman told The Alternative Press of Plainfield that he was proud of being on the ballot with the first African American president.  As for his time on the Council, Reid said he has two major accomplishments to date:  “A: the roads”, meaning re-paving, and “B: keeping social service programs here” referring to WIC.

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/plainfield/articles/a-look-inside-councilman-william-reids-home-lig