On September 1, 1966, the Rev, Milton Prentiss Reid became the 2nd minister of Lebanon Presbyterian Church, while also serving the Presbyterian Church in Castlewood. Rev. Reid came to us after an 11-year pastorate in Amelia, Virginia.
Mr. Reid was born on a homestead farm in Western Oklahoma. His father, a Presbyterian in belief, moved his family to French Camp, Mississippi, in order that his children might receive an education in the Bible. Following his graduation from French Camp Academy, Mr. Reid came to King College, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree. He attended Louisville Presbyterian Seminary and received his Bachelor of Divinity and Theology Master’s Degrees. He had pastorates in Arkansas, North Carolina and West Virginia and was the organizing pastor of the Rosemont Presbyterian Church in Bristol TN. He was a chaplain during World War II, serving in the South and Central Pacific for eighteen months. He continued his service later in the US Navy Reserves.
Rev. and Mrs. Reid had five children and when they came to Lebanon, Annette was a registered nurse, married and living in Chicago, IL. Cameron was an Electronics Engineer, living in Palo Alto, CA, Milton II was a Junior at Hampton-Sydney College, Judith was a senior at Lebanon High School and David was a 9th grader at LHS. During the first year that Rev. Reid was with LPC, his daughter Judy was chosen as Miss Lebanon High School in 1967 and was also Salutatorian of the Class of 1967. Mrs. Reid received her Masters’ Degree from Longwood College and his mother, Ruth Reid passed away in Oklahoma. David was active during his years at LHS, as he became a star athlete earning the nickname of “Roadrunner,” because of his speed. Mrs. Reid taught English at Cleveland High School and later Lebanon High School until her retirement in 1980.
The Lebanon and Castlewood churches could have presented challenging work for Rev. Reid as they were the only Presbyterian churches in Russell County with 26,000 persons. However, he was instrumental in many improvements in our church and in helping promote our growth. Rev. Reid retired on July 31, 1973 but remained active in the community.
One of the memories shared with us was of a time after he retired and was filling in some until we found a new minister. During that time, Dave and Mary Angle became members of LPC. Mary remembers “getting to know Mr. and Mrs. Reid as a treat. She viewed them as the perfect couple in every way. As new members, Mary was looking forward to the first potluck dinner. It was on a Sunday afternoon in the Fall, of course during football season. The dinner was scheduled for 5:00 but Dave refused to leave before the football game was over on TV. Mary was really upset thinking “How can he possibly choose to watch a game over getting to church on time?” Arriving at church alone, still fuming, she saw Mrs. Reid in attendance without her husband. “Oh, Mrs. Reid,” she said. “Where is Mr. Reid? Is he sick?” “No,” she replied pleasantly and without any sign of resentment. “He said he wouldn’t come until the game was over.”
The Reids are sorely missed from their LPC church family. Rev. Reid passed away in 1989 and Mrs. Reid left us in 2013. They made a beautiful impact on the church, the community and on each of us. Praise be to God!
