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Wilson William Reid
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Businessman.
Born at St. Boniface on 11 July 1909, son of William Alexander Reid (1876-1944) and Wilhelmina “Minnie” Cruickshank (1878-1959), he grew up in the Norwood neighbourhood.
In 1940, recognizing a business opportunity, he established Wilson Auto Electric to rebuild automotive parts. It was an early application of recycling in which an old part such as a generator or starter would be replaced with a rebuilt one. With partners, especially Fred Lewicki, he grew it into an international company exporting to over 50 countries, with branch offices in Burnaby (British Columbia), Calgary (Alberta), Dartmouth (Nova Scotia), Toronto (Ontario), and Montreal Quebec). In 1959, the subsidiary company Fort Ignition was formed to handle the retail and service sides of the business.
He was married twice, first on 3 November 1934 to Margaret Ellen Lawlor (1911-1973, daughter of F. J. Lawlor) at St. Boniface with whom he had three daughters and two sons. In 1974, he married widowed schoolteacher Irene Bell Struthers (1914-2006). He was an active member of Norwood United Church and the Masons (Norwood Lodge).
He died at his Winnipeg home on 3 June 2000.
Marriage registration [William A Reid, Wilhelmina Cruickshank], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Birth registration [Wilson William Reid], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Engagements,” Winnipeg Tribune, 11 October 1934, page 7.
Marriage registration [Wilson William Reid, Margaret Ellen Lawlor], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Death registration [William Alexander Reid], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary [Margaret Ellen Reid], Winnipeg Free Press, 6 September 1973, page 33.
Obituary [Wilson William Reid], Winnipeg Free Press, 5 June 2000.
Obituary [Shelagh Margaret Wilson], Winnipeg Free Press, 20 January 2005.
Obituary [Irene Reid], Winnipeg Free Press, 21 October 2006.
Obituary [Ruth Florence Reid], Winnipeg Free Press, 23 April 2022.
We thank Bob Reid and Margaret Oakes for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 2 September 2026
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