Nina Sawada Reid

June 12 , 1918 - February 16 , 2023

Nina was born in Vladivostok , Russia as the eldest daughter of the late Risaku & Eugenia Petrova Sawada . Nina was pre - deceased by her husband , U.S. Army LT . Col. Carn Rapp Reid , and her younger sister Irene Bielous and her husband Serge Bielous .

Nina's father was the trade attaché and interpreter for the Japanese government to Moscow , Russia . In 1916 , during World War I , he sold combat boots made in Japan to the Russian

army .

When the Russian Revolution started , her parents were in Kanazawa , Japan . They went to Vladivostok to conduct more business with the Russians . It was safe to be there until 1923, when the Russian communists took over the city . They then moved to Harbin , China where there were many white Russians but not many good business opportunities , so they went to Shanghai , China and stayed for a while to check out business connections . From there they moved back to Japan .

In Japan , her father went to work for a shipbuilding company to sell ships to the Russian government . He spoke perfect Russian and still had many business contacts in Russia .

In Kobe , Japan , Nina graduated from a Japanese girl's school which also taught English and piano instead of sewing and gymnastics . Next , Nina attended the Canadian Academy with her younger sister Irene , where they learned English in the morning and French in the afternoon . Nina could speak , read and write in Russian , Japanese , English , and French . She wanted to go to Italy to study art , but the winds of war put a stop to that .

In May 1940 , Nina married her girlfriend's brother , William Mueller . They had two boys : Leonard and Eugene . The marriage did not last and ended in 1947. In 1953 , Nina married Captain Carn Reid in Tokyo . It was a huge wedding at a big hotel , and the guest of honor was General and Mrs. Mark Clark , the commanding general of the pacific command . While in Japan , Nina and Carn studied Ikebana flower arrangement and both earned up to the 4th degree in art . While in Japan , Carn also earned a degree in landscape architecture .

After moving to Florida , Nina taught Japanese flower arrangement classes at various garden clubs in the south Florida area . She and her good friend Mrs. Cheiko Mihori , who is a master instructor , got a full - page story about Japanese customs and flower arranging in the Palm Beach Post on February 4th , 1982. Nina and Carn were both accomplished gourmet chefs and connoisseurs of fine wines . Living in Nancy and Paris , France and making friends with a Russian born French chef upped their cooking skills .

They moved to Boynton Beach after Carn's retirement from the Army at Fort Dix , New Jersey . Carn was the original landscape architect for the Morikami Gardens . When Carn slowed down some , he and Nina went traveling around the world . In Alaska , they visited St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church . Nina was one of the co - founders of the St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church in Lake Worth , Florida .

Nina was a loving wife to her husband . She loved her family and friends from around the world . Longevity is nice , but , on the other hand , one loses so many of one's relatives , best friends, and very special people who associated with and helped you through your life.

Nina is survived by her eldest son Leonard Reid and his wife Melissa ( Deceased) , granddaughters Robin Stone and husband Andrew Stone , Lauren Kate Phillips and husband Johnathan Phillips , six grandchildren : Grace , Harry , Jack , and Cecily Stone , and Charlie and Melissa Phillips , her younger son Eugene Reid and his wife Diane (Deceased ) , granddaughter Denise Reid and grandson Christopher Reid , her nephews George Bielous and Michael Bielous and his wife Nina Yasuko Bielous , caregivers and good friends Elza and Peter Clark and their son James and daughter Anne . Also best friends Nicolas Vastchenko ( Deceased ) , John Welser and wife Irina ( Deceased ) , Mr. and Mrs. Chieko Mihori , and father Michael and Annette Zaparyniuk