Broughton Reid Jr.

Broughton Reid, Jr. was born in Gaffney, South Carolina on July 18, 1954 to the late Broughton and Wanda Reid. Broughton, affectionately known to many as “ Boobie”, was the oldest of three boys and served as a role model and hero to his younger brothers while growing up in the Baltimore community of Cherry Hill. His brothers often joked that they were glad he was first born so they didn’t have to answer to the name Broughton. Broughton was a gifted athlete and excelled in football, basketball and track. He received numerous honors at all levels throughout his sports career. In 1972, his senior year at Northwestern High School, he was selected to the Maryland Scholastic Association (MSA). All –Maryland football team and Baltimore’s All-City teams in both football and basketball. A September 10, 1972 Sun Paper article headlined “High School star Reid happy to make Morgan…” as he would attend Morgan State University on a full athletic scholarship where he stared as a defensive back. Recognized for his athletic skills during college he had a short stint as a free-agent with the Baltimore Colts. Broughton graduated from Morgan State University in May 1977 where he received a Bachelors degree in Accounting. His professional career included employment with Westinghouse, Western Electric and the City of Baltimore’s Department of Public Works. He was a campaign volunteer working to elect Kurt Schmoke as Mayor of Baltimore. At the time of his passing, he was an administrator for The Great Blacks in Wax Museum. It was at the museum that he most enjoyed the opportunity to demonstrate his pleasing personality and the opportunity to work with people from all walks of life. He also enjoyed sharing his passion for football as an assistant Football Coach at Bowie State University. Broughton’s real gift was bringing joy and laughter to everyone he met. He believed, even if others did not, that he had the talents of a great comedian. His brothers declare his sense of humor was a result of having to live with a name like Broughton. Anyone whose path crossed his, especially his younger brothers, family members, close friends, classmates, and co-workers was fair game for his well-rehearsed and often repeated barrage of Rodney Dangerfield-like jokes. When Broughton entered a room the mercury in the laugh thermometer was sure to shoot over the top. Broughton was a serious as he was humorous. A wise man once wrote “children are a gift from the future”. His marriage to Evelyn, whom he met while at Morgan State University and married years later blessed him with his greatest gift and pride and joy as he became a proud and loving father to his daughter Shannon and stepfather to Richard whom he loved and deeply cared for. It was during the years that Evelyn was on her overseas tour that Broughton became a “single parent at home” and had to learn to juggle parenting and a career. He prided himself on having learned to do his little girl’s hair and was called to be a role model for Richard who credits him with having taught him a lot. Through the grace of God, Broughton lived to see his daughter graduate from high school and prepare to enter her freshman year at Delaware State University this fall semester. Broughton was called home on Thursday, August 11, 2011 seventeen years to the day that his mother’s homecoming service was held at this same church. Broughton leaves to lovingly cherish his memory: daughter Shannon Reid; stepson Richard Duque; brothers Vincent and Ervin Bernard Reid; on niece- Keyanna Murrill; one nephew- Joshua Paul Saunders; a godson, John A. Sykes II; an uncle Marcellus Brown (Jersey City, N.J.); aunts-Alonia Alston and Elise Fitzpatrick (Washington, DC), and Jesse Mae Brown (Atlanta, GA); his loving “cuzins” and a host of dear friends. To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven; A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck that which is planted;…(Ecclesiastes 3:1-2) This is the time we celebrate the life and legacy of Broughton Reid. WE LOVE YOU BOOBIE!

Tributes

Broughton Reid Jr.

July 18, 1954 - August 11, 2011