Ed Reddish

Arnold Edward “Ed” Reddish, 88, of Nampa, passed away peacefully with his children at his side on Thursday, June 25, 2026. Ed was born on April 4, 1938, to Arnold Earnest Reddish and Eva Rose Nielsen Reddish in Pocatello, ID. Ed was the second of four boys, and he loved his brothers dearly. His father passed away when Ed was only ten years old, which Ed always said made the boys look out for each other and for their mother more, and it also brought them closer as brothers. He has faithfully kept in touch with them, always looking forward to their regular phone calls. One of the highlights of Ed’s final days was having his two younger brothers Alan and Brian make the trip up to visit him one last time and say good-bye.

Ed worked various jobs as a boy to help support his family; at the age of 14 he began delivering medications on his bicycle for Falwell Drug in Pocatello. One of the pharmacists there noticed potential in Ed and started talking to him about becoming a pharmacist; this is where Ed’s love for pharmacy began. After graduating from high school, Ed enlisted in the Army National Guard to help offset the cost of school and then started the pharmacy program at Idaho State University. Ed always thought it was a blessing that ISU offered pharmacy because it kept him home where he could still be close to his mom and brothers. While attending ISU, Ed met his beautiful wife, MaryLou Shupe; she quickly became the love of his life, and they were married on August 6, 1959, in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple with the promise of eternity together.

Upon graduating from ISU, they moved to La Grande, OR, where Ed took his first job at Glass Drug. Three short months after getting to La Grande, the Army called Ed up to serve at Fort Lewis in Washington to work at Madigan General Hospital. Upon completing his service in the Army, he returned to La Grande for a few years, where he and MaryLou welcomed their daughter, Denise, and two years later their son, Kevin. In 1967 they settled in Nampa, ID, to raise their family. In 1975 they received a very unexpected and exciting surprise when they were blessed with their youngest son, Lance. Ed worked for various drugstores in Nampa before branching out on his own and opening the first Reddish Pharmacy in a small building on the corner of 12th & Hawaii Avenues, where Starbucks now stands! After a few years he partnered with another pharmacist and moved across the street to the Saltzer Medical Clinic, and Mallea-Reddish Pharmacy was born. Eventually it became just Reddish Pharmacy again, and Ed found great joy in working side by side with his son Kevin for over 20 years and having his grandson come work evenings with him as a tech before retiring. He was so pleased that Kevin followed in his footsteps and took over the family business that remains in the same location today. Ed loved being a pharmacist, and he loved his patients and all those he helped and served throughout his career; he didn’t even mind getting phone calls at home! He enjoyed the connections with the community it gave him and was happy to be involved in all he could. He served in many leadership roles on both state and national levels and was the recipient of many awards and accolades; he was most proud of being presented with the Bowl of Hygeia award. Ed proudly worked in his profession for over 50 years and retired feeling accomplished.

Ed was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he went faithfully, right up to the end. He served in many capacities over the years, including in Bishoprics, High Council, and Young Men’s and Sunday School presidencies. His favorite calling was working in the Boise Idaho Temple, especially during the years that his wife was mobile enough to work as well. He loved the gospel, and he loved the Savior. He had a testimony of Jesus Christ, of who He was and what He came to do. Ed lived his life trying to serve others the way Christ served.

Most of all, Ed loved his family. He loved fishing and golfing with his boys and lunch dates and pedicures with Denise, Christmas shopping with his daughters-in-law, cruises with MaryLou, family vacations, and our family time-share week in McCall every summer, which he purchased the year his first grandchild was born, and it became a week the grandkids looked forward to all year. Ed found so much joy in being a grandpa and loved having his grandchildren around. He supported his grandkids in all they did, traveling all over to be at whatever they were participating in, and if he couldn’t be there, then he anxiously waited for a phone call to get the full report on how they did. As great-grandkids started being born, he counted himself as extremely blessed, and he adored each of those little ones. He loved to brag about his 9 grandchildren and tell everyone who would listen that he had 17 great-grandchildren, with 2 more due before the end of the year. Just as he was proud of his family, we are equally as proud of him and are grateful that he was ours.

Ed is survived by his children. Denise (Jay) Reiss, Kevin (Adete) Reddish, and Lance (Terra) Reddish; his grandchildren Danielle (Dustin) Reese, Kolby (Cami) Reddish, Kyndra (Kirk) Lewis, Kynlee (Matt) Little, Kameron (Sharon) Reddish, Brooklin (Beau) Thueson, Brenna (Bradon) Ruesink, Kason (Afton) Reddish, and Rigdon (Kylen) Reddish; his great-grandchildren; his brothers Alan (Martha) Reddish and Brian (Michelle) Reddish; and his sister-in-law MaryAnn Reddish. He is preceded in death by his sweet wife, MaryLou; his parents; his brother Bob Reddish; his sister-in-law Joan Shupe (Lewis); his father-in-law Cyril Shupe; and his mother-in-law Victoria Josephine Cazajous Shupe.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at the LDS chapel located at 927 Ruth Lane, Nampa, ID 83686. The family will greet friends at a viewing held from 6:00 to 8:00 on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at Zeyer Funeral Chapel, 83 N. Midland Blvd., Nampa, and at the church on Thursday prior to the services from 11:30 to 12:45. Interment will be at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Caldwell. Arrangements are under the direction of Zeyer Funeral Chapel.