Hedda Jean Reid

Hedda was born in Seattle, Washington on March 2, 1927.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert “Pete” Reid; parents, Oscar and Adeline Jorgenson; and brother, Jack Jorgenson.
Hedda was very proud of her Norwegian heritage, both of her grandparents having emigrated to the United States from Norway. Oscar was the Norwegian reporter for KJR radio station in Seattle for many years, translating the week’s news to Norwegian for the benefit of the many emigrants who had settled in the area. Hedda enjoyed her summers spent swimming in the cold Puget Sound waters off Bainbridge Island. She graduated from Queen Anne High School in 1945 and shared the story of the time she skipped school to see Frank Sinatra perform.

The next chapter in Hedda’s life was a move to Walla Walla to attend Whitman College and it was there that she met her soulmate, Pete Reid, following his return from the War. Hedda loved to tell the story of what a special time it was to have all the men returning to campus from the War after her first year of a mostly female only campus. It was a celebratory time where everyone appreciated the magical moments of life and freedom. Their senior year Hedda was the homecoming queen and Pete was the student body president. They graduated together from Whitman in 1949. The winter following their graduation, they were married in Seattle on December 17, celebrating 67 years of marriage before Pete’s death in 2017. Following the honeymoon in Canada, they returned to Walla Walla where Pete was employed at Whitman for 61 years. Hedda was always by his side, as together they became fixtures in the community and the face of Whitman for many years.

In retirement, Hedda and Pete traveled the world with close friends. One of the highlights was a trip to Norway to retrace Hedda’s roots. Hedda also loved jazz music and for many years traveled to Sun Valley, Idaho with close friends to attend the Jazz Music Festival.

Hedda was a homemaker who raised four sons; Jim of Fredericksburg, IA, Tom (Erin) of Seattle, WA, Dan (Lori) Walla Walla, and Bill (Allison) of Fall City, WA; 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. As the sons married she finally had the long-awaited girls in the family. Hedda’s pride and joy was her family, organizing yearly gatherings of the extended family, usually at Fort Casey Inn on Whidbey Island. She took great pleasure watching the grandchildren build driftwood forts and playing on the Puget Sound beach, not far from where she had spent her summers.

Hedda had a gift for entertaining, hosting many Whitman and family gatherings with grace and apparent ease. She was a member of PEO, St Paul’s Episcopal Church and Delta Gamma sorority. She enjoyed meeting regularly with close friends for what they called “Coffee Club”.
Sincere thanks from the family for the wonderful caregivers at Parkview Memory Care Center and Hospice, who provided love and comfort to Hedda and the family during her final days.

A celebration of life will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Saturday, February 22, at 3:00 p.m., with a reception to follow in Campbell Hall. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Pete and Hedda Reid Scholarship Fund at Whitman College, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Friends of Children of Walla Walla, or the Walla Walla Christian Aid Center.