John Oscar "Jack" Reynolds

April 9, 1935 - October 13, 2019

John Oscar “Jack” Reynolds, 84, passed away peacefully at his home in High Island surrounded by his loved ones on October 13, 2019 at 1:39 p.m. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, October 19, at 4 p.m. at Day Funeral Home in Madisonville, Texas. Burial will follow at Allphin Cemetery in Madisonville, Texas. The visitation will be held from 5-7 pm on Friday, October 18 at Day Funeral Home. John Oscar Reynolds was born on April 9, 1935 to Annie Mallie Kelton Reynolds and Milton Murphy Reynolds at their home in Elwood, Texas. He was named after his maternal grandfather, Oscar Augustus Kelton, and paternal grandfather, John James Reynolds. His mother’s side of the family wanted to call him Oscar and his father’s side wanted to call him John, so to end the debate, his daddy decided to call him “Jack.” Jack was the oldest living son at home when his father, Milton, passed away. He became a father figure to many of his younger brothers and sisters. Jack made sure his younger brothers and sisters said their bedtime prayers and enforced his younger sisters coming home promptly on dates. At the young age of 15, Jack began working to help support the family. Jack met the love of his life, Barbara Lee, through a blind date on August 9, 1956. Jack came to pick Barbara up in a 1956 Mercury and “Blueberry Hill” by Fats Domino was playing on the radio. It was truly love at first sight. They were engaged a few short weeks later on August 26 and married the following summer on June 9, 1957. Together they had five children and lived in the Madison County area and Houston. Jack and Barbara separated for a period of time. Jack moved to the Dallas area and met Rosalie Hopper. They married and moved to Malvern, Arkansas. Together, Jack and Rosalie had 2 children, Kay LaJean and James A. Reynolds. While in Arkansas, Jack learned his trade that would be a lifetime career, home building. In the mid-seventies, Jack got back in touch with Barbara and the kids and soon after they reunited and remarried, choosing to celebrate their original anniversary for the rest of their years together. After visiting the Bolivar Peninsula for many years, they made it their home in the early 2000s. Jack became an active member of the Gilchrist Community Association, becoming vice president in 2006. He was an ardent supporter of keeping Rollover Pass open and was vocal about his opposition to the closure until the very end. Jack loved hunting, not for sport but as a means to provide for his family. There was always deer meat, frog legs, fish, squirrel, and rabbit in the house. Jack was a skilled 42 player. You always wanted to be his partner, not playing against him because he would outbid you, even if he didn’t have the dominoes, just to get a rise out of you. He always knew what dominoes everyone at the table had in their hand after playing their very first domino. Jack was full of love. When you were in the presence of Jack, he made you feel as if you were the most important, most loved and most cherished person in the world to him. He made everyone feel as if they were his favorite person. His love knew no boundaries and it did not matter what station or level in life you were, he loved you regardless. While Jack’s life wasn’t perfect, his love for Christ was unwavering. He knew that through his faith in Jesus Christ, his sins were redeemed. He read his Bible and said a prayer before bed nightly. Jack said "the Lord smiles on us every day.” Before he left this Earth, Jack stated boldly that he was ready to go because he knew where he was going for his eternal rest. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Annie and Milton Reynolds; his siblings, Sunshine Greer, Beth Spiller, Walton Reynolds, Marie Lohner, Grace Wall, and Rita Davis. Jack Reynolds is survived by his wife, Barbara Reynolds; children John Reynolds, Debbie Reynolds, Connie Tomerlin, Ann Grunewald, Mike Reynolds, LaJean Hicks, and James Reynolds; Siblings Reed Reynolds, Betty Ann Neal, Vada Robertson, Rebecca “Becky” Harrell, George Reynolds, G.G. Reynolds, and Buddy Reynolds; grandchildren Amanda Reynolds, Danielle Burns, Erin Dye, Kyle Reynolds, John Michael Reynolds, Clay Tomerlin, Chase Tomerlin, Clint Tomerlin, Kaci Allen, Keven Earnest, Chris Kolb, Matt Gilbreath, Adam Gilbreath, Lee Richardson, Brandi Richardson, Jake Gilbreath, Katie Holland, Elise Hicks, Annie Hicks, Rocco Hicks, Shaylin Reynolds, Kinsley Reynolds, and Kylen Reynolds and 27 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, daughters by love Judy Reynolds, Deborah Dugas, and Angela Waldrop, sons by love Gary Hornbuckle, Kenny Hynes, Dale Earnest, grandsons by love Gary Michael Hornbuckle and Micheal Johnson and a host of friends who were so close they were considered family.