On May 17 2011 one of the most iconic figures in RC passed away. I was fortunate enough to know Mr. Reedy both personally and professionally and had even had the chance to work with him for 5 years. In fact, he was the team manager for Team Associated and the man to recruit me on the Team back in 1999.
He will not only be remembered for all his MAJOR contributions to the RC world but also for his incredible sense of humor. Thank you Mike; you will be sorely missed.
Below is the program from his service. I’ve included it for those that might not know the life of this great man.
A message from Mike Reedy’s family
“It is with very heavy hearts that we must inform everyone of Mike Reedy’s passing early this morning. Mike lost his 10-plus year battle with Parkinson’s disease but passed away peacefully surrounded by many of his Associated family and friends.
As the man who turned his name into one of the most successful racing brands in R/C history, Mike Reedy could be found in the pits of every major race event building and tuning motors for most of the top R/C drivers in the world. It didn’t matter whether you were a world champion, or just an average racer, Mike was there to help everyone and had a true passion for doing this.
Mike contributed greatly to the technology of the R/C industry, but perhaps where he made his most measurable contribution was in the lives of countless young drivers coming up through the racing ranks. He served as the Team Associated race team manager for over 20 years, and during that time, scouted, and mentored some of the best talent the R/C industry has ever witnessed. Names like Jay Halsey, Masami Hirosaka, Mark Pavidis, Bill Easton, Brian Kinwald, Tony Neisinger, Neil Cragg, Craig Drescher, Matt Francis, Mark Francis, Cliff Lett, Ryan Maifield, and many others are prime examples of the unparalleled influence he had on our industry and the people in it.
Mike asked that there be no funeral services for his passing, but rather an R/C party celebration of his life. Details will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of sending flowers, we ask that you consider making a memorial contribution in Mike Reedy’s name to the National Parkinson Foundation at the link here.”
