CAPE ELIZABETH – Reid Andrew Jones could have met his end countless times and for any number of reasons, but thankfully it took him all the way until the night of Dec. 22, 2019, when he finally succumbed to a long, vodka-related illness. Born on Jan. 28, 1960, to a Welsh immigrant and the daughter of Swedish/Norwegian immigrants, Reid was attracted to dangerous activities from a young age. Growing up in Bar Harbor, he spent much of his time dirt biking (broken bones galore), free-soloing cliff faces in Acadia National Park (safety not guaranteed), doing donuts on frozen lakes (yikes) and, when the sun finally emerged each summer, *aggressively* tanning. (Something he said once with utter sincerity: “If you love something, and you’re good at it, never stop doing it.” Not bad advice, but just the sort of thing a lifelong motorcycle aficionado would say, no?) What’s more, he had a way of getting hit by cars, like he was magnetic. Perhaps in excess of a dozen times over the course of his life, and never once, as he said, his fault! He also practiced less dangerous hobbies. He played a mean bass guitar (like his brother, Kyle), and enjoyed a truly eclectic mix of music. He was a fan of the New York Football Giants, historical fiction writer Ken Follett, and Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton. Like his father before him, he had a preternatural knack for storytelling, and relished in telling circuitous tales of his upbringing and young adulthood. (Another favorite saying: “Anyway, to make a long story longer…”).To those who knew him well, he was characterized by his understated wit, quiet intensity (formerly “loud intensity”), somewhat askew humor, and culinary mastery. Plus, the iconic bald head and mustache combo. (If he were here now, he’d say, “I’m not here to be made sport of!” To that I say, “too bad!”) But above all, he defined himself by his love of, and devotion to his family and close friends (shout-out to John, Darren, Lance, and Jared P.)Reid was predeceased by his father, Bill (“with the blue hair, sir”), and his niece, Maiysha and her children, Zeb and Isis. He is survived by his wife, Christine, with whom he spent 17 sometimes contentious but never unexciting years; his children, Jared and Alyssa, and their mother, his first wife, Martha; daughter-in-law, Bailey; his mother, Connie; brothers, Kevin and Kyle; nieces, Hannah, Raven, and Remington; and nephew, Zac.A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, December 27, 2019, at the Hobbs Funeral Home, 230 Cottage Road, South Portland, Maine 04106. Importantly, Reid once said that he wanted his memorial service to be a joyous, lively occasion filled with stories and laughs. Take note, and act accordingly!Online condolences may be expressed at www.hobbsfuneralhome.com.

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