Leo Reid Seely
September 6, 1927 - November 28, 2024
Leo Reid Seely passed away from natural causes at his home in Layton, Utah on November 28, 2024 at the age of 97 surrounded by his loving family. Reid was a cherished husband, father, grandfather, great grandpapa and great-great grandpapa and known to be the favorite uncle of the Seely clan.
Reid was born in the coal-mining town of Kenilworth, Utah on September 6, 1927; the 5th of 8 children of Hans Rex Seely and Mary Mae Krebs Seely. He spent his youth growing up in
Mt. Pleasant, Utah where he attended Sanpete High School. He was a high school cheerleader, a member of the chorus and played in the band. Music and dance were a large part of Reid’s life. He started playing the trumpet in grade school, the French horn in high school, and eventually found his love of the keyboard and playing the organ. Never learning to read music, Reid played “by the heart” as he says. He possessed the truly amazing ability to play any song that he was familiar with just by hearing and remembering the notes.
After high school Reid joined the Navy in support of WWII. He was in boot camp when the atomic bomb was dropped which put an abrupt end to the war. Reid was then dispatched to the Discharge Center where he worked on discharging officers and arranging their transportation back to their homes as civilians.
Shortly thereafter, Reid started his lifelong career as a Court Stenographer where he worked for several courts in both California and Utah. It was in one of his office buildings in Salt Lake City that he met a beautiful young receptionist from London, England. Her name was
Barbara Eileen Greenshields and she soon became his wife. Reid and Barbara had 3 children together, Stephen Reid, Michael Kent and Suzanne Seely. They were later divorced in 1966.
Reid’s love of dance led him to meet the true love of his life, Lucille Harris Christensen one evening while they were both square dancing. They were married in 1975 and cherished many happy moments together ballroom dancing and spending their weekends at their farm in
Mt. Pleasant where they raised quarter horses. Lucille passed away in 2003 but Reid continued to ballroom dance well into his 80’s!
Reid was blessed with a life of health, love and happiness.
Reid is survived by his son Michael Kent Seely (Mary Jane), Daughter Suzanne Seely Tirado (Dana), 11 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandson. He was preceded in death by his son Stephen Reid Seely.
Funeral Services will be held on December 7, 2024, at Rasmussen Mortuary,
96 North 100 West, Mt. Pleasant UT. The viewing will be at 10:45 am followed by services at 11:30 am. Interment will immediately follow the funeral service at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. Online condolences at rasmussenmortuary.com