Reginald L Wingfield Jr

What is the measure of a person’s life? For Reginald “Reggie” Lorenzo Wingfield Jr, life on Earth revolved around a singular divine charge - help somebody. On January 30th 2025, after 89 years of a life filled in pursuit of service, Reggie knelt down and voiced his prayers, climbed into bed, and slipped the surly bonds of Earth entering into an eternal reunion with God. Reggie was the oldest of four children born to the late Reginald L. Wingfield, Sr. and Annabelle Carroll Wingfield. He entered into Earthly service on January 26, 1936 as a native of Washington, DC. He was educated in the DC public school system and graduated from Armstrong High School where he achieved the rank of Cadet Major in their Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program. Upon graduation, Reggie began taking classes at Howard University where he was known as “that boy from up the street with that bad dog.” Reggie’s primary career interest was in data processing, but he initially met many barriers. He served seven years as a communications airman in an engineering squadron with the Air Force Reserves. Reggie elected not to reenlist when he was denied entry into the data processing career field. He also had a brief stint as a statistical clerk with the Census Bureau where he received an award for discovering an error in Herman Hollerith’s (the father of information processing) machine that had escaped detection for decades. Yet, Reggie was still denied entry into the data processing career field. Undeterred, Reggie began working as a clerk with the U.S. Postal Service while taking data processing classes at night at the Programming and Systems Institute, and at Prince George's Community College. His persistence finally paid off when he was hired by Share Computer, a government agency that provided data processing support for the DC Government. Reggie worked at Share Computer for 35 years before retiring as a data processing supervisor. Upon retirement, Reggie worked briefly as an agent for the financial services company Primerica before transitioning to a life of leisure and service. Reggie was joined in holy matrimony to Betty Jean Glover on July 8, 1957. Their union produced three beautiful children: Michele Elaine Wingfield, Michael Allan Wingfield, and Kimberly Renee Wingfield (Brown). Always keeping God and family first, Reggie worked part time at Safeway to ensure he and Betty had the resources necessary to ensure all three kids received 12 years of education in the Archdiocese of Washington Catholic Schools. A devout Catholic, Reggie served and supported St. Margaret’s of Scotland in Capitol Heights, MD with his time and his financial resources. For over 65 years he was a parishioner and servant, most recently serving on their finance board. Reggie was also a generous, committed, and consistent supporter of multiple charities to include American Red Cross, Central Union Mission, Little Sisters of the Poor, American Heart Association, and St. Labre Indian School. Throughout his life, Reggie’s motto was stay active, and stay active he did. When not spending time with family, he socialized with friends who engaged in varied activities. In his early adult years, The Brothers 25, made up of a group of 25 male childhood friends, was the primary social club that produced an amazing community of families that bowled together, partied and celebrated together, vacationed together, and bonded throughout most of the members’ adult lives. Reggie loved horseback riding. From his youth, he spent many days at the horse stables in Southeast DC and in Rock Creek Park in Northwest DC. Reggie also volunteered at the stables and mentored as well as provided financial support to organizations and kids that wanted to engage in the sport of horseback riding. Reggie was a multi-sport athlete who loved to play basketball. For many years into his forties, he and friends competed in Saturday morning basketball games at F. W. Ballou High School. Reggie was also an avid skier and member of the Capitol Ski chapter of Black Ski. However, his greatest athletic love became golfing, where he was a long-time member of the Beltway Strikers, a golfing group that played some of the finest courses throughout the country. Later in life, Reggie’s primary social group became his “Korner Krewe” who he spent many of his final years in fellowship by cruising, traveling internationally, partying, and baking his “world famous salmon” for the Krewe’s Super Bowl parties. Highlighting Reggie’s final years would not be complete without mentioning his involvement with the Anacostia Diaspora breakfast meetings at the IHop in Southeast DC or his dancing with the Banneker Dance Club. This is but a small sampling of the many groups that were blessed with Reggie’s presence and the groups that contributed to his wonderfully fulfilling life. Affectionately known as dad, daddy, granddad, Buff Daddy, Baba San, Junior, and Reggie Bacon, he leaves to cherish his memory his three children, five grandchildren: Keyy Renee, Kristen Eggleston, Rashad Brown, Kaitlyn Wingfield, and Myeisha Davis; five great-grandchildren: Jayden Eggleston, Josiya Vaile, Jaison Vaile, and Scarlett and Nico Brown, a daughter in spirit, Shoko Takahashi, and a host of extended family members and friends. Reggie was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings Patricia Wingfield, Kenneth Wingfield, Ernest Taylor, and Cyril Wingfield. He was loved by many and touched many lives. Though he will be dearly missed, we are comforted with the knowledge that Reggie was received by God with these words: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Tributes

Reginald L Wingfield Jr

January 26, 1936 - January 30, 2025