Daniel John Reid, a resident of the Purdy Pavilion, an extended care facility on the campus of University of British Columbia Vancouver, passed away in his 63rd Year. Dan or Danny as he was known to family and friends, died on the morning of Tuesday December 2nd, 2014 from complications following an infection.
Dan had been living at the Purdy Pavilion for the past 15 years having been incapacitated as a result of a ruptured brain aneurysm. The superb staff at the Pavilion became an extended family. We are truly grateful for their kindness.
Dan was born in Oshawa Ontario on May 9th, 1951 to Frank Walter Miller and Marie Marthe Miller, nee Boudreault. He is predeceased by his oldest brother Frederick Richard Reid and survived by his older brother Bernard Edmond Miller.
Dan is also survived by a number of half-siblings from his father’s second marriage to Huguette Boudreault: Marie Miller, the eldest, Leslie Miller, Cheryl Bowyer (Michael), Catherine Barnes (Robert), Vincent Miller (Catherine), Tina Watkins (Ivan) and Walter Miller (Nora).
In 1963 Dan and his older brother Fred were adopted by Ronald and Agatha Reid in Ajax Ontario. He attended Saint Bernadette Catholic School in Ajax and later Neil McNeil all-boys Catholic High School in Toronto. Dan loved to joke around and was quite proud of the fact that the late Canadian comedian John Candy was a classmate at Neil McNeil High School in Toronto.
After living in Toronto for a few years following school, Dan eventually moved to British Columbia and settled in Aldergrove.
Dan met and married Diana (Lopez) Reid in 1988, in Surrey, BC. Dan loved his family, he was a loving father to a son Ben Klein, and daughter Jaime Wood. Dan was an avid horseman and taught the kids to ride and rope on his prized horse named Poco.
He was a qualified competitive team roper (heeler) for the Fraser Valley Region of BC Team Roping Association winning numerous trophies, silver buckles, and embroidered jackets. Dan was very handsome and rarely seen without his sizable Stetson. He was often mistaken for the actor Sam Elliott. Dan was a proud member for 17 years of the Pile Drivers, Divers, Bridge, Dock & Wharf Builders Local 2404, as a welder. He also took pride in knowing that his son Ben followed in his footsteps and carried on the tradition of being a “Pile Bucket”.
He will always be remembered in our hearts and may he rest in peace.