TOPSHAM – Rodney Earl Reed, age 57 of Topsham, died Monday, February 17, 2020 of injuries sustained in a mountain biking accident in Pownal.
Rod was born in Gardiner on Jan. 29, 1963, the youngest son of Francis Eugene and Yvonne G. (Bailey) Reed. He graduated from Wiscasset High School in 1981. 
After high school, Rod launched his career at Bath Iron Works and started his family with his first wife, Andrea. In 2006, he stepped away from BIW for three years to pursue his passion for the outdoors, owning and operating a hunting lodge in New Brunswick, Canada. He returned to round out his 30-year career at BIW, which spanned machine operation and fabrication, to computer programming. 
Rodney spent many childhood years hunting and fishing with his family in The Forks, which sparked his love for the outdoors. He had a life-long passion for whitewater kayaking, cross-country skiing, hiking, biking, camping, Tom Waits, making people laugh, Friday night dance parties, and animals, especially his devoted dog Truman.  He loved being “Papa” to his three grandchildren. 
He leaves behind his loving wife of seven years, Cathi (Cote) Reed of Topsham; his son, Justin Reed and wife Xuejiao of Elkridge, Md., his daughter, Tasha Suttmeier and husband Luke of Nobleboro; his father, Francis of Dresden; his stepdaughter, Paige Reinfelder of Topsham; three brothers, Francis Reed and wife Becky of Roanoke, Va., Richard Reed of Woolwich, and Frank Reed and wife Mary of Dresden, his sister, Wanda Brown and husband Richard of Augusta; three grandchildren, Nolan, Adelaide, and Oliver Suttmeier; and many nieces and nephews and friends. Rodney is predeceased by his mother, Yvonne. 
Rodney was a member of the Local Union #7, the Penobscot Paddle and Chowder Society (PPCS), the Merrymeeting Wheelers, and the New England Mountain Biking Association.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at Brackett Funeral Home, 29 Federal St., Brunswick with Rev. Laura Bonyon Neal officiating.   Condolences can be expressed to the family at www.brackettfh.com.
In lieu of flowers,
the family suggests
donations in Rodney’s memory to:
National Resources Council of Maine
3 Wade St.
Augusta, ME 04330 or:
Bicycle Coalition of Maine
38 Diamond St.
Portland, ME 04101 or:
Coastal Humane Society
30 Range Rd.
Brunswick, ME  04011

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