Paul Phillip Reed July 14, 1959 – July 29, 2018
Paul Phillip Reed, 59, of Berkeley and Auburn, CA. died on July 29, 2018 in Auburn. The cause was a motorcycle accident.
Born in Southern California, Paul grew up in Auburn and lived in Berkeley for many years. He was said to have had a “small town soul” with “big city sensibility.”
Growing up in Auburn, Paul grew up loving the country and the river that ran through it. He had a penchant for camping, hiking and swimming in the river.
Paul was a talented artist, and after graduating from San Jose State with a degree in art and design, he moved to Berkeley and worked for the UC Printing Office with the design team, then as a freelance artist and graphic designer for a number of organizations in the Bay Area.
Paul loved the East Bay for its diverse neighborhoods, its vibrant music venues, its food options and, of course, the brew pubs popping up all over the area.
A few years ago, Paul moved back to his boyhood home in Auburn to care for his mother who had suffered a stroke and whose health was failing. He visited his beloved Berkeley whenever he could, and read Berkeleyside’s Daily Briefing every day. He relied on Nosh to provide the latest on restaurants, new pubs, etc. Paul also monitored the real estate listings every week looking for that perfect home for his return to Berkeley.
Paul is remembered as a gentle and generous man, having a penchant for life and adventure, a heart of gold, a great sense of humor and little regard for the concept of punctuality. He left no immediate family in the area, being predeceased by two brothers, Johnny and Kenny, his father Kenneth and his mother Carolyn, just four months earlier. He was loved by friends, their children and grandchildren — and was known as “Uncle Paul” to many.
His dream of returning to Berkeley ended on July 29 when he was thrown from his classic 1972 Honda motorcycle on a country road in North Auburn. Investigation of the accident scene showed no skid marks and no sign of another vehicle. An unsafe turning movement brought down the motorcycle and was likely prompted by an animal darting out in front of the motorcycle.
A celebration of Paul’s life is planned for Aug. 25 at his family home in Auburn.