Former Claremont resident Bess Reide was tiny, but hardly so in spirit and personality. Leave it to pint-sized Ms. Reide to be the one dissenting voice in a group; count on Ms. Reide to express her opinion under any circumstance; and never under estimate her strength.

“Like, at a meeting at the art gallery, here’s this diminutive woman. So tiny,” said Marci Stewart, local artist and decade-long friend to Ms. Reide. “You’d look at her and think, ‘Isn’t she a sweet little old lady.’ Ha! She would speak up and get into arguments, and artists argue a lot because everyone has their own creative idea…If there were 10 people in a room and 9 were agreeing with one point of view, she would still speak up and say ‘no’ and offer a cogent argument about why she felt what she did.”

Demonstrating her friend’s spunk in another example, Ms. Stewart recalled the time when Ms. Reide was in the hospital, and the newly selected pastor of her church arrived for a visit.

“So, you’re the guy they picked?” Ms. Stewart recalled her friend asking.

Ms. Reide, most recently a resident of La Verne, died on December 25, 2009. She was 93.

Born in Tyler, Texas to Frederick and Bertie (Kimbrogh) Lanterman, Ms. Reide grew up in Texas, Arizona and, finally, in Monrovia where she graduated from Monrovia High School in 1932.

Following high school, she earned a degree in graphic design at Schnards School of Fine Arts in 1936. While working for a company that made neon signs, she met her future husband, Guy Reide, with whom she eloped in 1938.

Her husband’s career as a Boy Scout executive meant that she, too, became involved in the organization, working behind the scenes and volunteering. At the same time, she pursued a career in advertising while she and Mr. Reide moved to Michigan, Wyoming and back to California where they settled in the Pomona/Claremont area in 1949.

“Her abilities as a graphic designer were really extraordinary,” Ms. Stewart commented.

Following the death of her husband in 1966, Ms. Reide entered a career with the Camp Fire Girls (now Camp Fire USA), serving as regional director for a period and, after formally retiring, working with the organization in graphic design and public relations.

Over the years, Ms. Reide was involved in several Parent-Teacher Associations; the Ebell Club; the Claremont United Church of Christ, where she was a member of the congregation for over 40 years and for which she created over 50 artistic banners; the LA County Fair, where she served as a judge in multiple categories, especially enjoying kids arts and crafts; the Pomona Valley Art Association, with which she was an active member for more than 30 years, held numerous offices on the board of directors and was honored with many awards; and the association’s SoHo Gallery, where her handcrafted jewelry, copper enamel plates and other artwork was considered a focal point.

For more than 30 years, Ms. Reide taught copper enameling and cloisonné art at the Armstrong Center in Ontario, moving to teacher status shortly after having taken the class herself when it was offered at Chaffey College.

“She had a unique gift to work with people of all ages and help them discover their special talents,” Ms. Stewart and Linda Hauser wrote in a remembrance. “Bess regularly won awards for her beautiful and unique artwork, as did her students.”

Only 8 months ago, at the age of 93, did Ms. Reide—reluctantly—stop teaching this class. Additionally, at this age, she was still driving and volunteering at the SoHo Gallery.

In all she did, and until the very end of her life, Ms. Reide maintained an endearing and impressive spirit of independence.  Such was the case when her children tried to convince her to move in with them late in her senior years.

“She absolutely put her foot down,” Ms. Stewart shared. “She adored her kids, but she said, ‘My life is here—my friends, my church, my art are here. And she continued to live here, on her own.”

Ms. Reide is survived by her daughter, Lynn Fox, and her husband, Peter; by her son, Craig Reide, and his wife Sharon, as well as his ex-wife, Myra; and by her 10 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Her son, Walter, died in 1984.

Services were held on March 14, 2009 at Claremont United Church of Christ.