Doctor Elgar Reed delivered all 13 children of Mary J and Benjamin F Maxson. Wilmer Reed was the tenth child and Dr. Reed delivered him for free. Wilmer's middle name was selected in appreciation of the good doctor, and Wilmer was always known as Reed, never Wilmer. In fact, Reed always thought his first name was Wilbur (not Wilmer) until he saw his birth certificate when entering the Army Air Corps.

A third generation Californian, he was born on February 9, 1917, in Covina Township, later to become West Covina where his father was the first mayor. He and Dorothy Ellen Barnard, his wife-to-be, attended La Puente grammar and high schools. Upon graduation he received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Southern California. While attending U.S.C. he also waited tables and worked as an extra in various Hollywood films. In 1938 he accepted the position of Athletic Director of Palama Settlement in Honolulu and roomed with twenty-two others in a place they fondly named Termite Tavern.

Due to World War II he left Honolulu in 1940 and joined the Army Air Corps. Accompanied by his wife, Dorothy, he served the majority of his military time in Colombia, South America, stationed in Bogotá, as a pilot, an observer in intelligence, and a military attaché, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel and being awarded the Cruz de Boyaca (Ordende Boyacá) by the Colombian government, as well as the Air Medal, awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.

After active military duty he remained in the military reserves for many years, built a home in Covina, CA, established an appliance business, farmed citrus fruits and avocados, raised four horses, several dogs and helped raise two children, invested in real estate and, although he worked seven days a week, he pursued his interest in sports with an occasional round of golf. He was a "do-it-yourself-er" and inventor who also enjoyed history, gardening, fishing, crossword puzzles and Hawaiian music, having learned to sing several songs in Hawaiian during his time in Honolulu.

While living in Southern California, he and Dorothy traveled to Hawaii many times. In 1965 he established the Milolii Company with five partners and developed Papa Bay Estates on the island of Hawaii. He and Dorothy moved to Hawaii in 1977 and did most of the work building their own home. He served with the local planning commission, was a member of the Kona Outdoor Circle and performed much volunteer work in the Kona area.