Meet Reed Coleman
Dignified Pet Services presents 'People in the Neighborhood'
This lovely, beloved green-eyed leftie is unpretentious, silly and supremely compassionate. She has hugged Faye Dunaway, is devoted to pet rescue, and can brake-slam a car to a 180-degree turn with the best of ‘em.
For Reed, pets were always part of life — her physician dad took his German Shepherd to work in the 1950s, way before it was trendy.
"We rescued squirrels, and had bats living behind the shutters in our home in Denver — Fahv (our nickname for our dad) would “reveal” them to the neighborhood kids — it was great fun.”
Her heart swells over making a difference. “Whether it’s holding the door for somebody balancing 487 bags, or working on a project that turns out to be a big hit.”
After buying her first home in Portland, "about five seconds later I rescued my first dog, Lion, a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix.”
Currently staff engagement and communications manager for New Seasons Market, Reed’s past titles include TV news photographer, TV reporter/anchor, and then development director. This last, at DoveLewis, “showed me the power of the human-animal bond, and the power of rescue and compassion.”
Coming home, “There’s exponential love emanating from the souls in this house — you’re greeted by 12 happy feet, and someone with two grounded wonderful feet waiting to give you a kiss and ask how your day went.”
L to R: Otis, Royce, and Gracie lying down
“We say we won the stray lottery three times,” Reed laughs. “Gracie-Pie is my oldest at 13, a Whippet/Pittie mix. She’s been diagnosed with a tumor near her heart. We are giving her chemo every day. She has taught me about living in the moment; she is my soul dog. There’s something extra special about my little Gracie-Pie….”
“Otis, 11, was brought into DoveLewis as an injured stray. I had recently had to put Lion down. The staff knew I had a soft spot for Pitties, and they called me to the hospital floor where Otis lay patched up. I looked into his eyes, and somebody said, “So Reed, what are you gonna name him?”
“Finally, my French Bull Dog/Chihuahua Royce, 6, is ridiculous — he has ‘satellite dish’ ears and a little Chihuahua body. He’s my delightfully naughty one.
Her guilty pleasure is a Tamarind whiskey smash from Hat Yai — “a fantastic restaurant on Killingsworth” she adores. “So much so that I looked up a recipe on the Internet instead of putting myself in the poor house buying them,” she laughs. “And carrot cake, with cream cheese frosting. and the whole she-bang. I love it!”
Reed hopes people see “Loyalty, acceptance, and trust” in her. “But I also want to be silly — the art of silliness is important.”
She loves the “not quite” seasons. “The in-betweens — the beginning of fall and of spring when everything is changing over,” and music that “makes the people around me smile and maybe tap their feet, or just exhale…. There’s magic behind what music does.” She’ll watch Shawshank Redemption any time it shows up.
For giggles, it’s “Watching my dogs — they are such expressive, silly little souls, Otis sleeps with all four feet up in the air. The big derpy, derpy creampuff. And he and Royce, the largest and the smallest — are best friends.”
Reed treasures her upbringing and her husband. “I grew up in a beautiful place, I was treated with love and respect, and was given a great start in life. My husband is a remarkable person — we just become better and better friends, and I know that’s rare. I love being around him.”
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If she could have two homes, she’d keep her Portland address and add one “somewhere near the water. I currently have a huge ugly crush on Orcas Island. Something happens to my soul when I’m there; the water, the easiness… either there or Ireland.”
The shoe that is so Reed? I just bought a new pair of boots that I really love, so they are my new “go-tos”
On her bucket list: “We love our jobs, but I’d love to be able to just go and play and discover the world.”
With a lottery win she would “have fun giving most of it away — That’s the kind of gazillionaire I’d want to be! I’d love to be able to say, ‘Here, I hope this helps.’”
About our Sponsor
Dignified Pet Services has served the Portland-area community for 13 years. In addition to their core business of cremation and memorial services, Dignified co-sponsors the beloved annual Service of Remembrance at The Old Church in downtown Portland, as well as serving as wonderful supporters and friends of pets and those working in animal welfare. Proprietors Michael, Randy and Hunter live in Sherwood.
Christy Caballero bought a new sofa and still doesn't have enough room for herself, although the three BIG RagaMuffin kitties and Mojo the retired greyhound are pretty impressed. Meeting new friends via People in the Neighborhood interviews makes her day!