Gary Wayne Reed

Gary Wayne Reed, 67, died Saturday, March 28, in Kailua, Hawaii, with his wife by his side after losing his battle with ALS.

He was born March 28, 1948, to John C. and Alice M. Reed, in Indianapolis, Ind.

On April 24, 2010, he married Ofelia Carag in Hawaii.

He was the second of six children, and his family moved to Woodstock when he was 3. He played the trombone in the marching band in high school and in drum and bugle corps – first with the McHenry Viscounts, followed by the Chicago Cavaliers (aka The Green Machine).

While in high school, he developed a passion for art and thought he might like to teach. After graduation he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he majored in art. He transferred to the American Academy of Art in Chicago before finally going to the John Ringling School of Art and Design, Sarasota, Fla.

In 1971, he moved to Hawaii and thought it the most beautiful place he had ever seen. He loved Hawaii. He hiked the islands’ trails and beaches and captured what he saw on canvas. He enjoyed having family and friends visit.

He became an accomplished artist and was renowned for his oil landscapes of the islands. His paintings can be found all over Hawaii and in collections throughout the country. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.

Survivors include his wife; four sisters, Joyce (Joseph) Wiemuth, Woodstock, Denise Ann (David) Hays, Davenport, Iowa, Kimberly (Milton) Deemer, Las Vegas, N.M., and Lisa (Jay) Whittemore, McHenry; a brother, John T. Reed, Woodstock; four nieces, Heidi (Fred) Boal, Terry (Niall) Michelson, Rebecca (Eric) Jansen and Jennifer (James) Samorian; and two nephews, Joseph Wiemuth III and Paul Hays

He was preceded in death by his parents.

A celebration of life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 13, at the First United Methodist Church, 201 W. South St., Woodstock, until the service at 11 a.m.

Memorials can be made to Iroquois Point Elementary School, 5553 Cormorant Ave., Ewa Beach, HI 96706; or UHM College of Education, 1776 University Ave., Everly Hall, Room 128, Honolulu, HI 96822.