Robert “Bob” Wesley Reynolds, 87, of Anderson, formerly of La Pryor, died on April 13, 2017, at his residence. Reynolds was born Aug. 8, 1929, in San Antonio to Ruth (Dimmitt) and Henderson “Harry” Robert Reynolds. He lived in Uvalde until he moved to La Pryor, where he grew up and graduated from La Pryor High School as the valedictorian, in 1947. During football games, he played six-man football, and during halftime he played the saxophone in the band. Reynolds worked on the King Ranch in Kingsville for a few summers while in high school, which marked the beginning of his love for cattle ranching. He attended Texas State University in San Marcos and later transferred to Texas A&M to pursue an engineering degree. There, he was a member of the marching band and played the saxophone. Reynolds served in the U.S. military as an Army staff sergeant in the Korean War where he trained soldiers for combat. After he was discharged, he started his career with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. He began as a lineman and worked his way up to a department supervisor in the engineering department. In 1960, during Hurricane Carla, Reynolds was out in the middle of storm ensuring that the communication lines were operable for Dan Rather, who was starting his own career as a reporter for channel 11. The family said another interesting time in his career occurred in South Texas on the movie set of “The Alamo,” where he had to ensure that there were no phone lines showing in the movie. It was here that he met and became friends with the star, John Wayne, who he shared many lunches with. According to the family, Reynolds’ accomplishments include designing the underground communication systems for both NASA and the connecting tunnels of the hospitals in downtown Houston. In 1985, Reynolds retired after 38 years with the phone company. He became a full-time rancher. He and his wife, Mozelle, made their home in Anderson, where they raised registered polled Hereford, Red Angus and other cross-breed cattle. In Anderson, Reynolds became active in the Grimes County Farm Bureau. He served as a member, a director, vice president and president. He was honored as a lifetime member in 2012. During his tenure, he most enjoyed and was instrumental in providing high school seniors with farm bureau scholarships, enabling them to pursue their academic dreams. Reynolds was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Mark Wallace Reynolds; one brother, Richard Dean Reynolds; and one brother-in-law, Arthur Walsh Spear. Reynolds is survived by his wife and caregiver, Mozelle Miller Reynolds; three daughters; three sons; one sister, Ruth Ellis Spear; one sister-in-law, Francis Reynolds; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Graveside services were held April 17, 2017, at noon at Oddfellow Cemetery in Anderson.
SAM HOUSTON MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, HUNTSVILLE, WWW.SHMFH.COM