David George Reidy

OBITUARY

David George Reidy of Santa Ana, California, passed away at the age of 81 on September 8, 2024. He was born on November 19, 1942 in Plymouth, New Hampshire.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Dianne Phyllis Reidy.

David attended LaSalle High School in Pasadena, California and graduated in 1961.

His military service was from 1964 – 1970 in the U.S. Army Reserves where he learned his medical career that he would continue for 60 years.

He began his career at Orange County Medical Center in the Army Reserve Unit and was then hired as an orderly, then promoted to Autopsy Technician.

The county hospital became the University of California, Irvine Medical Center and he worked there from 1964 through 2024. He was always proud to say between him and his wife, Dianne, they had 97 years of service to UCI.

During most of those 60 years, he held the position of Anatomic Pathology Manager and specialized in training the resident physicians in autopsy procedures. David always enjoyed working with the young enthusiastic residents. Around 1987 he was asked to be involved with procurement for a new Alzheimer’s research program, today known as UCI MIND.

He retired reluctantly in 2004 after 40 years. The retirement officer asked him why he waited so long. The answer became evident when they asked him if they could hire him back part-time. He couldn’t wait to sign-up! He really didn’t want to leave his pathology family he had become so close with. So he continued working with the residents on autopsy procedures and with the procurement for UCI MIND. Over the course of the last 37 years working for UCI MIND, David had worked with over 50 young eager technicians who many later became physicians.

David met his wife Dianne at the hospital in 1969, when she began working as an account clerk. Dianne likes to tell the story of him showing up in front of her parent’s house in a yellow sports car (his second classic car) and her mother asking who’s that boy out front? He was relentless in the chase as he also followed her to Disneyland where she and her girlfriends spent weekends at the teenage dances. And it was there they discovered the joy and love for dancing together.

They were married September 14, 1973 at The Chapel at Holy Family Catholic Church in Orange, California.

Not like most young couples blessed with children, they began their married life collecting antiques, namely a piano for their living room, then came music boxes, phonographs, and nickelodeons. They joined music collector’s clubs where it brought them together with many lifelong friends who shared their interests as members of the Automated Music Instruments Collector’s Association (AMICA), Musical Box Society, and Antique Phonograph Society.

Because they enjoyed the old dance music and dressing vintage, they joined a vintage dance class and went on to dance at many ragtime and jazz festivals together as a group.

They became interested in old Hollywood movies and attended many Hollywood autograph shows where they met Margaret O’Brien (once a child star) and many other movie celebrities, and collected well over 100 personal autographed photos that they beautifully display on their hallway walls. Margaret O’Brien and other celebrity friendships evolved from the many events attended together.

THEN! Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park closed it’s doors in 2005. David and Dianne attended the auction of hundreds of wax figures. Another life changing adventure. David purchased several to the point that Dianne was asked by another attendee if they had a museum. Her reply “Ah, yes, I guess we do now!” David continued the hunt for more celebrity and famous wax figures over the next 17 years. From Shirley Temple to Elvis, they have entertained many curious friends. Of course, their house had “no vacancy” so eventually they had to annex part of their collection to a small museum where David created a mini Movieland and which also housed his antique cars. This was a milestone he was so proud of.

Through all of his collecting, his automobiles remained his first passion. Since 1980 the Reidy’s have belonged to many car clubs: Packards International, Classic Car Club, Antique Automobile Club and the Buick Club of America, among others.

They treasure those relationships and have always felt like family with the many years of celebrations and accomplishments.

David was quite a storyteller. He kept in touch with so many friends. As many of you know, he could talk to you about his life, growing up, his school days, his army years, his work related stories, their vintage dancing, meeting the Hollywood stars, collecting, and, creating a museum that told a story of David Reidy. A man with a mission accomplished, sharing his passion with old and new friends.

A service will be held in his memory at 10:00 am on September 21, 2024 at the Saddleback Chapel, 220 E Main St., Tustin, California 92780.

Following the service, a lunch will be served at the Hwy 39 Event Center, 1563 S. State College Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92806. RSVP encouraged to dedepreidy@gmail.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations in David’s memory may be made to his favorite organizations:

*Hollywood Heritage Museum - Online donation - Hollywoodheritage.org

Or mail check to: Hollywood Heritage Museum, 2100 N. Highland, Los Angeles, CA 90068

*The Hollywood Museum

Mail check to: The Hollywood Museum, 1660 Highland, Los Angeles, CA 90028

*University of California, Irvine

UCI MIND (Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders)

Online donations, search:

Donation – Brilliant Future: The Campaign for UCI Secure giving

Mail a check:

1) Make check payable to UCI MIND

2) Indicate on memo line “Alzheimer’s disease research

3) Include with check:

- David Reidy, in whose memory the donation is being made

- Acknowledgement to be sent to Dianne Reidy: dedepreidy@gmail.com

- Please include Donor’s name/address/phone number

4) Mail check and above information to:

UCI MIND

2646 Biological Sciences III

Irvine, CA 92697-4545