John "Randy" Randolph Reynolds

November 6, 1935 - April 29, 2009

John R. "Randy" Reynolds, IV of Rocky Ford, died on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at the Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center in LaJunta after a long battle with pneumonia. He was born November 6, 1935 in Hamlin, Texas. He was the first child of Forrest Lee Reynolds and Mary MoVelda (Carlton) Reynolds. Family stayed in Hamlin while two other children were born: Forrest Lee, Jr., in 1938 and Phil in 1940. In mid-1940, the Reynolds family moved to Ft. Worth, Texas, 200 miles east of Hamlin. In Ft. Worth, Randy finally got a sister, Janci, in 1948. Randy graduated from Polytechnic High School in Ft. Worth in 1952. He was a year ahead of his original classmates because of a double promotion. At Poly High, he lettered in football, was in the National Honor Society and was known for his affable nature and the funny cartoons he could draw. On his 18th birthday in 1953, Randy volunteered to serve in the US Marine Corps. During his 4 year stint, he was first stationed overseas in Japan and later stateside at Camp Pendleton, California. He received his Honorable Discharge in 1957. At the end of a five-year period in which he examined re-enlistment, college and work opportunities, Randy was diagnosed with schizophrenia. In 1962 he entered and lived at the Veterans Administration hospital system in Ft. Worth. Randy was transferred to the Ft. Lyons VA facility in Colorado in 1968. In 1978 he was released from the VA and lived in a series of wonderful group homes in the Las Animas-La Junta-Rocky Ford area of southeastern Colorado. He came to deeply love the people and this area of Colorado during his forty year residence. It was home and in many ways it was 'family' for him. Randy lost his father in 1981 and his mother in 2007. His brother Forrest, Junior also died in 2007. He is survived by: Brother Phil husband of Ann Reynolds of Pittsfield, NH; Sister Janci wife of Jim Covington of Austin, TX; Sister-in-law Gwen widow of Forrest, Jr. Reynolds of Arlington, TX; Niece Sheacy Thompson of Frisco, TX; Niece Sundee Parker of Arlington, TX; Nephew Shawn Reynolds of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Nephew Jason Chambers of Arlington, TX; Nephew Eric Chambers of Plano, TX; Nephew Jason Covington of Nashville, TN. Through all of his life, Randy was a Baptist and an ideal son. He was saved and baptized at the age of 10. He really believed in 'honoring thy father and mother.' He wanted only to please his parents and Jesus throughout his lifetime. Randy maintained a special, loving relationship with his mother until the time she passed away at the age of 92 in 2007. He was a kind and gentle person who stood 6 feet - 6 inches tall and weighed in at 280 pounds of muscle and steel when he left the Marine Corps in 1957. And yet with all his physical attributes he never harmed a fly. He was loving to everyone. Memorial Services will be at the Ford-Ustick Funeral Home, Rocky Ford, CO, at 2:00 PM on Friday, May 1st, with Pastor Chris Becker officiating. There will be no viewing as cremation has been effected. Inurnment will be private at a later date. Arrangements have been entrusted to Ford-Ustick Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to www.fordustick.com.