Ware, MA – G. Reed Ide, III, of Ware, MA died peacefully on April 28, 2026. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, he was the son of Gustavus and Priscilla (Cranston) Ide. Ide began his career at the Southbridge (MA) Evening News as a reporter in 1967. He went on to work at the New York Daily News and became the Executive Editor of the Villager in Greenwich Village in 1973. From there he became a magazine editor at Collector Communications, Inc., in New York City.
When the AIDS epidemic broke out, Ide became a Special Graduate Admissions student at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and served as co-director of (now) The Stonewall Center at the University of Massachusetts. He received a Master of Education degree in counseling in 1989 and began second career as an AIDS educator and a service provider, serving as director of the AIDS Buddy Program in Springfield, MA. In 1991, he became the founding director of the Hampshire County Ryan White Consortium, to provide comprehensive services to people with HIV/AIDS and their families. Ide served as director of AIDS Care/Hampshire County through Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Massachusetts for five years.
He then moved to the Netherlands for several months. Coming home, he returned to journalism, specializing in European Travel. He served as a founding Editor of Passport Magazine serving the LGBT community. He also wrote two gay travel guides, one to Iceland and the other to Amsterdam.
In retirement, he was a substitute teacher at the local Jr. High for seven years. In 2017, he undertook what he called the most life-affirming event of his life. He adopted Collin LaCroix as his son, supporting Collin’s success through his education, service in the US Navy, and launching into a thriving adult life and career.
In addition to his son, Ide is survived by cousins Althea Cranston (MA), Jeremy Cranston (WA), and James Cranston (MA), as well as his sister-in- law Cynthia (Wyman) Ide, a nephew Mark C. Ide, Jr. and his wife Rebecca (Gaddis) Ide, and a niece Ashley E. Ide, all of Massachusetts.
Services will be at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 446 Hamilton St., Southbridge, MA on May 14th, 10:30am.
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