Jerome H. Reid

Jerome Harlon Reid, 85, of Ocean Springs, MS entered Heaven on Saturday, July 20, 2024. 

He was born on August 15, 1938 in Jayess, MS to Dewey and Evelyn Reid. He attended Enon High School in Enon, MS. He joined the United States Air Force at age 17. He served in the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft mechanic. 

After serving his term with the Air Force, he started a 40+ year career in the bridge building industry. 

Jerome began as a laborer in the 1960’s working for his father who was also a bridge builder. The construction of the new Biloxi-Ocean Springs Bridge brought the Reids to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 

Jerome spent the next 15 or so years working on various bridges on the Coast, including the Biloxi Back Bay Bridge, the I-110 overpasses, and the I-10 Causeway in Gautier, MS, just to name a few. 

Jerome worked his way up to the “top” in the bridge building where he would serve as superintendent on bridge projects throughout the Southeastern United States, as well as Texas and Arkansas. 

Mr. Reid built 3 homes in Ocean Springs, MS, two for his family and one to sell. He was never one to sit still. He was always working, whether it was constructing a home, tinkering with a lawn mower or restoring his classic DeLorean. The man could fix anything. 

Jerome and Janet, his wife of 35 years, enjoyed participating in Cruisin’ the Coast where he drove and displayed their DeLorean. Jerome and Janet traveled throughout the United States in their RV after they both retired. They attended NASCAR races in Daytona several times and enjoyed being together no matter what they did. 

Jerome was preceded in death by his parents, Dewey and Evelyn Reid; and sibling, Larry Reid. 

He is survived by his spouse, Janet Lee Reid; children, Diane (Bubba) Pickard and Sheila Reid; grandchildren, Natalie Pickard Moniz, Lee Pickard, Ashley Burch, and Nathan Burch; great-grandchildren, Fin Marcussen, Reef Marcussen, and Kai Moniz; sisters, Lavonne Wallace and Evangeline Catoire; and brothers, Bobby Reid, Donald Reid, Kenneth R. Reid, and Gene Reid. 

A funeral service will be held at 2:00pm on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, Ocean Springs, MS. Friends may visit one hour prior. Burial will follow at Crestlawn Memorial Park. 

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes is honored to serve the family of Jerome Reid.