Bob was blessed by God with a long and happy life. He loved Carol and Jacob most of all, and after them friends, and animals, and music, and starry, starry nights, and bums for whom things had just never worked out, and snow, and mountains, and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, and struggling with sentences, melodies, and lyrics, trying to make them right. He achieved more than he ever imagined possible and left undone way too much. He wanted to be remembered as someone anyone could talk to and who would listen, and who would try to say something kind and useful in response.
REMEMBERING
ROBERT LEONARD REID
1943—2026
OBITUARY
Robert Leonard Reid was the author of five books, four works for the theater, and some 150 magazine articles, short stories, and essays. Mountains of the Great Blue Dream, his memoir of 25 years of mountain climbing, was nominated for the Boardman-Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature. His essay collection Because It Is So Beautiful was one of five finalists for the 2018 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay. Among the periodicals in which his works appeared were Harper’s, Sierra, AGNI, Stereo Review, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The Progressive. As a songwriter and piano player, he wrote three satirical revues and the 24-song Bristlecone Mass, all of which were produced at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City, Nevada. He worked for thirty-five years as a freelance mathematics textbook writer and editor, contributing to some 200 mathematics texts. In 1982, he was honored as “Conservationist of the Year” by the Sierra Club’s largest chapter. In 1988, he was a delegate for Jesse Jackson at the New Mexico Democratic Convention.
Bob received two Artist Fellowships in Literary Arts from the Nevada Arts Council and two Literary Artist Grants from the Sierra Arts Foundation. In 2009, he was honored with a Silver Pen Award from the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame. Nine years later, in 2018, he was inducted into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame. He was a prolific songwriter, the keyboard player in several northern Nevada bands, and the partner of singer June Joplin in the Great American Songbook duo “Me and Bobby McGee.” He served as pianist and music director of “The Second-Sunday Band” at St. Peter’s from 1995 to 2004. He served as pianist for the Carson City Rotary Club from 2006 to 2021. In 2016, the club named him a Paul Harris Fellow.
A native of Pennsylvania, Bob attended Harvard College, where he earned a degree in mathematics. He was an ardent wilderness wanderer and mountaineer, completing several hundred ascents, among them Mount Shasta in January, Pigeon Spire in the Bugaboos, and four ascents of Yosemite’s iconic Cathedral Peak, one from each cardinal direction. For much of his life a tumbleweed, he resided in 34 different houses and apartments in seven states and ten cities before putting down roots in Carson City in 1995. He leaves his beloved wife, Carol, and his son, Jacob.
memorial service
On June 19th, 2026, family and friends gathered in loving memory of Robert Leonard Reid and to celebrate his extraordinary life. Bob's memorial service was held in the Grand Ballroom of the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City, Nevada and led by Father Jeff Paul who officiated the Service For the Burial of the Dead.
We were thankful to be able to livestream the service via Zoom for those who were unable to attend in person. The recording below combines the Zoom recording with some higher-quality footage provided by our dear friend Dan Clark.
Please know that due to a technical issue, we were unable to play the montage of Bob's life during the service, so be sure to check out the memorial montage in the following section.
Memorial Service
memorial MONTAGE
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then these pictures and videos of Robert Leonard Reid are worth volumes of the finest poetry. It was profoundly meaningful for us to dig up these old memories of Bob throughout his many years on this earth. We hope this video warms your heart as we remember this remarkable man whom we loved so much.
Memorial Montage
EULOGIES
Bob Reid left an indelible mark on countless souls. Among them were Jacob Reid, Shaun Griffin, Steven Nightingale, and Father Jeff Paul, four men who delivered stirring eulogies at Bob's memorial service on June 19th, 2026. We preserve their tributes here with profound gratitude.
JACOB REID
Jacob's Eulogy
SHAUN GRIFFIN
Shaun's Eulogy
STEVEN NIGHTINGALE
Steven's Eulogy
FATHER JEFF PAUL
Jeff's Eulogy
musical performance
Among many other hats he wore, Bob Reid was a prolific songwriter. In his four decades in music, he composed dozens of original songs, some of which comprised his 24-song Bristlecone Mass and his three Nevada-based cabaret musicals, I Say Nevada!, I Say Nevada! (Government Bailout Edition), and None of the Above!
At the start of his memorial service, two of Bob's musical collaborators, songstress June Joplin and bass player Brad Lund, reunited to play another rendition of "A Place In My Heart Called Nevada," said to be his personal favorite. Along with Nancy Barker on piano, they elicited many tears with their nostalgic performance. It is preserved here in Bob's memory.
Such an Amazing Tribute to an even more amazing man!! Beautifully done