“I loved rock 'n' roll, let me build a fake jukebox so you can put another dime in it, baby”- John Reid
John “JR” Reeves Reid, passed away in his home in Irving Texas on Monday July 13th 2015.
The youngest son of Elizabeth Reeves Reid and Roy Moran Reid Sr., John was born June 17th 1955 in Anahuac Texas. A graduate of Anahuac High School, he went on to earn his degree in Radio, TV and film, marketing management and theater from the University of Texas at Arlington class of 1979. A lover of all kinds of music, John was also a musician and could play a mean guitar, bass, keyboard and even the trumpet. After college he joined the team at Showco as a Lighting, Special EFX, and Sound Technician where he toured with some of the greats including The Who, Willie Nelson, Jaco Pastorious, and Van Halen. While touring with The Who in Philadelphia, he met the love of his life and soul mate, Arlene Delores Dunlevy. Truly love at first sight the couple married at sea on the way to Catalina after a short engagement in June 1980. As John tells it, they were married in their hearts from the moment they met. Family meant everything to John, and he decided to leave the road in order to spend time with his new wife, taking a job as General Manager at Showlights, the world’s largest lighting company at the time, in Los Angeles, California. Name a rock band from the 80’s and he’s probably worked with them in some capacity. John was more than a manager, he was a kind soul with a wicked sense of humor who had an eye for talent and a heart for sharing his knowledge with others. As a mentor, he went on to open doors for many of his ‘Padawans’ who wanted to get their foot in the door and were willing to work hard. With his electric smile, big heart, and quick wit, John touched many lives and inspired those around him to be better people. In 1988 he moved from Showlites, to become Assistant Genreal Manager at Morpheus Lighting. Then, in1990, John and Arlene decided Los Angeles was not right place to raise their son so he accepted a job with FM Productions as their Rental Manager/Lighting and EFX guy. As John tells it, the move was quite an adventure. With two cars overflowing with boxes, a baby, and a yorkie named Barky, they started the long cross-country drive to their new home. “From Van Halen to Viagra”, that’s what John called his transition from rock and roll tours in California to trade shows in Orlando. Soon he found himself as Senior Account Executive at Vari-Lite in Orlando where he provided lights for a variety of entertainment events including Musical Act Touring, TV (2 Emmys), Film, Broadway, Olympics, Corporate Events, and Presidential Inaugurations as well as Disney and Universal Studios in Orlando. Though he has gone to The Great Gig In The Sky, the lives he has touched will forever be changed because of his life. John Reid is pre-deceased by his wife, Arlene Dunlevy Reid, and survived by his son Roy Moran Reid II and his brother Roy Moran Reid Jr. Services will be held at 4 PM, Tuesday July, 21st at Brown's Memorial located in Irving, Texas. 707 N MacArthur Road, Irving, TX 75061. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Little Kids Rock and help fund music education and unlock school children's inner music-makers so they can have access to the myriad benefits music education has to offer. https://www.littlekidsrock.org/support-us/donation-2/
Cards and other memorials may be sent to the family at 1019 Lane Street, Irving, Texas 75061.

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