Reginald Holt Humphrey died peacefully at his home in Burbank on October 27. He was 98 years old.
The son of Ella Holt Humphey and Sydney Perham Humphrey, he was born in Pittsfield, Maine in 1913. As a young boy he moved with his family to Clinton, Maine, where he graduated from Clinton High School in 1932, and from Colby College in 1936. Mr. Humphrey was the principal of the high school in Washington, Maine from 1936-1938. From 1938-1939, he was the sub-master of the Colebrook Academy in Colebrook, New Hampshire.
Leaving the world of academia, Mr. Humphrey operated a grocery store and poultry farm in Clinton from 1939 to 1946. He moved his family to Burbank after World War II ended, and began a 20-year career in land development, building and selling “Humphrey Homes” in Burbank and the San Fernando Valley.
Mr. Humphrey was a member of the Sebasticook Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Mayflower Descendants, Order of the Founders and Patriots of American, and the Society of Sons of the American Revolution. He also served as a member of the Board of Selectmen in Clinton in 1945.
In 1938 he married Phildora Esther Dixon. She was his “forever sweetheart,” and he would call her “the beautiful blue-eyed Dixon girl.” They had one daughter, Ellen, who was born in Maine, and twin sons, Donald and Douglas, who were born in Burbank.
Mr. Humphrey was always interested in genealogy and tracing his family history. He loved to garden, and filled his yard with many varieties of beautiful roses. Travel was another of his loves, and he was happiest while sitting on the lido deck of a cruise ship looking out to sea with the sunshine sparkling on the water.
He is predeceased by his parents, his wife, and brother Laurence. Mr. Humphrey is survived by his daughter Ellen and husband Neil Russell of British Columbia, Canada; and son Douglas Humphrey and wife Linda, of Baldwin Lake, CA; grandchildren, Kirsten and Colin of British Columbia, and Wayne of Big Bear, CA, and Nick of San Bernardo, CA,; and four great-grandchildren.
A graveside funeral service for Mr. Humphrey will be held on Friday, November 4, at 3 p.m. at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills. A memorial tribute to Mr. Humphrey can be seen at www.celebrantpam.com/memorials/reginaldhumphrey.html.
To place a paid obituary please email you name and phone number to Obits@BurbankNBeyond.com and a representative will contact you.
