Obituary of Lieutenant Colonel John Reynolds

Lieutenant Colonel JOHN R. REYNOLDS July 30, 1924 to November 19, 2005 Former Camas resident Lieutenant Colonel John Reynolds passed peacefully Saturday with his family at his side. Colonel Reynolds proudly served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and U.S. Air Force for 30 years, 1942 to 1972. Born in Camrose, Alberta, Canada, following high school in Camas Washington, (graduation 1942), he was granted a"year's of citizenship" waiver allowing him to enter the World War II Aviation Cadet program. After receiving his wings and commission in 1944, Colonel Reynolds went on to fly B-17s in four-engine transition school and B-29s in combat against Japan. He was one of the youngest, at 20 years of age, when he qualified as a B-29 Aircraft Commander, eventually attaining Lead Crew Aircraft Commander status before war's end. Colonel Reynolds held eighteen decorations; highest-- the Legion of Merit. His career spanned WWII, the Korean Conflict and the Viet Nam era war. After completing communications-electronics school in 1948, the Colonel taught at The Atomic Energy Training School in Biloxi, Mississippi, departing from that location to the Korean War. He attended the Air Force Command and Staff School in 1960 and was retained on the staff of the Air University Air War College for three years. His last ten years of service were with a Joint Chiefs of Staff organization--The Defense Communications Agency. He considered his final duty as Chief of Defense Communications, Northern America, with offices in the U.S. Embassy, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, as the high point of his military career. Following his military career, Colonel Reynolds became Vice President for Business and Finance at St. Martin's College, Lacey, Washington. Preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Mary Reynolds and his brother, Arthur, who died in aerial combat in WWII in Europe, he is survived by his loving wife--lifelong mate and best friend--of fifty-eight years, the former Evelyn Jean Larsen (originally from Portland, Oregon), his son John (Palm Springs, CA) and daughters Christina M. Price of Kirkland and Susan J. Reynolds-Sherman of Roy. He is also survived by three grandchildren and one great-grandson. Colonel Reynolds is a member of the Golden Legion of Phi Delta Theta (Washington State University), The Retired Officer's Association, Air Force Association and The McChord AFB Officer's Club. Colonel Reynolds has requested donations to the Saint Martin's College Library Fund in lieu of flowers. Full military honors for Colonel Reynolds will tentatively be held on Monday, November 28th at 1:00 pm at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. Please contact Brown's Funeral Home in Camas for confirmation. Viewing will take place on Sunday, November 27th from Noon to 5:00 pm and Monday from 9:00-11:30 am at Brown's Funeral Home in Camas. Brown's Funeral Home in Camas has been entrusted with arrangements.