Henry Franklin Reed

Henry passed away peacefully during the early morning hours on Friday, May 27, 2022, at St. James Community Hospital, two days before his 90th birthday. We so hoped that he would make it until then, but God had his plan. Friends and family alike called him “Hank.” Henry Franklin Reed was born on May 29, 1932, in Nevada, Missouri. He was the third of seven sons to Willard and Frieda Reed. His father worked in the mines and moved from Missouri to Utah, to Idaho, but finally settled in Butte when Henry was about eight. He attended the Webster Garfield School and much later in life achieved his GED. In his youth, he and his six brothers supported the family by doing odd jobs, shining shoes, selling newspapers, setting pins at Marty’s, the YMCA, and the Winter Garden Lanes bowling alleys, and later delivered telegrams for Western Union. In 1949, Henry enlisted in the U.S. Army and attended basic and later infantry training at Fort Lewis. After basic, he was deployed to Fort Worden to learn construction. Then in August 1950, he was deployed to Korea in the Second Division and was wounded in combat twice and received two Purple Hearts. He was honorably discharged in 1952 and soon after, met the love of his life. On December 29, 1953, Henry married Sheila Guccione and they lovingly shared 69 years together. They had three children together; Mark, Shelley and Brian, to which he was very proud. Henry worked as a hoisting engineer and an equipment operator for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, ARCO and ASARCO and then retired from Montana Resources in late 1996. Although he enjoyed any job put in front of him, he was one of the Berkeley Pit “Kings” on the old-time shovels. Henry was endeared by his fellow miners and was given the nickname of “Hammering Hank.” He loved MR’s yearly picnics and holiday parties to see everyone. He was also a member of the Old Butte Miner’s Club and shared coffee with many of them at the Hanging Five on Wednesdays when he would get the call. Henry enjoyed home construction and was quite good with old vehicle mechanics and repair but was intimidated with the newer computerized vehicles. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, boating, Copper King baseball games, and spending time with his family and friends at the cabin at Canyon Ferry Lake. Henry barely refused to help someone when called upon even when his plate was completely full. Henry was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend to many. He always did what he could for strangers and was a true hero to us all. Henry is survived by his wife Sheila; son Mark (Carla), Winnemucca, NV; daughter Shelley, Butte; son Brian, Twin Falls, ID; grandchildren Ashley (Josh) Easterday and Nathan (Brittany Nielsen); brothers Ernie and Darald (Butte); the Pauls and the Brullas; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Henry is preceded in death by his parents Willard and Freida, Dominic and Mary Guccione; brothers Bill, Bob, Tom, and Donald; and Robert Guccione. Hank’s celebration of life service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 2, 2022, at Wayrynen-Richards Funeral Home with interment and full military honors following at the Holy Cross Cemetery/Mausoleum at 2 o’clock.

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Henry Franklin Reed

May 29, 1932 - May 27, 2022