Gene Reed

Gene Reed, 83, of Baker City, died on Saturday, January 17, 2026 surrounded by his family. A celebration of life will be held at the Rock Creek Cemetery on June 6, 2026 at 10 a.m.

Harold Eugene Reed (Gene) born in Kennett, Missouri on January 2, 1943 to Anna Mae and Elwood Reed.

When he was 3 years old his family moved to Oregon and settled in Grants Pass.

He attended school in Grants Pass, Henley High School in Klamath Falls and Coos Bay, OR. After graduation he served in the US Navy for 4 years. He was discharged in 1964.  He traveled the world on the USS Lexington carrier.

He held various jobs until January 1966 when he hired on as a cable splicer with Pacific NW Bell.  He worked for PNB and US West for 25 years in Portland, St. Helens, Klamath Falls and The Dalles, OR.

He met Patricia Miller on a blind date in 1984 and they married in December 1985 and moved to Portland. 

Gene retired in 1990 and moved to Eastern Oregon where he worked as a contractor for various telephone companies in several states. 

Gene loved to hunt, fish, 4-wheeling, kayaking, mushroom hunting and held a commercial pilots license. He loved to gamble, was an excellent knife maker, loved the outdoors and there was nothing he could not fix.  If he did not know how he found a way.

Gene moved to Baker City in 2008 and built a new home for his family on Ben Dier Lane.

Gene survived pancreatic cancer in 2006 and stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma cancer in 2011 and had a strong will to live.

Gene was a member of The American Legion, The VFW and past member of the BPOE and The Fraternal Order of Eagles and was a Life member in the NRA.  He served 3 years on the City Council of Pilot Rock.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Anna Mae Stauffer, his dad Harold Elwood Reed, and his brother Gary Reed. 

He has one son, Michael Reed in Phoenix, AZ, one daughter Kimberly Patrick in Prineville, OR and one step daughter Lorrie Harvey of Haines, OR and a sister, Judy Smith of Keno, Oregon.  He had nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

For those who would like to make a memorial donation in honor of Gene the family suggests the National Rifle Association (NRA) through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Services, PO Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834. Online condolences can be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com