REYNOLDS, William (Bill) Donald
Bill was born in Denver, Colorado, October 21, 1925 and died peacefully at the Willow Creek Continuing Care Centre on Sunday, March 20, 2016 at the age of 90 years.
Bill led an exciting and colourful life, always ready for adventure around the corner. In 1941, at the age of fifteen, he ran away to San Francisco to join the U. S. Marines. They told him to come back when he was old enough. Undeterred, Bill saw the recruiting office of the Merchant Marine down the street and decided to try them. He was big and healthy and eager, and the Merchant Marine needed men for their ships. Bill spent the rest of the war on either munitions or supply ships sailing from San Francisco to the islands of the South Pacific. When the war was over, Bill joined the Army, becoming a member of the last horse cavalry unit in the U.S. Army. Later he served in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.
After his military career, Bill had many different employments: shrimp and crap fisherman in Alaska, sheriff's deputy and police officer in Colorado, truck driver, welder and cowboy.
Bill removed to Alberta in the 60's, working mainly as a welder. He first settled in the Ponoka region. Upon reaching retirement age he moved to Claresholm.
Bill is survived by two sons, Greg and Stan, both of Denver, Colorado;, and a daughter, Rebecca D'Spain in Florida;, stepdaughters, Sharon and Shiela; as well as many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Bill was predeceased by his fourth wife, Freda.
A Funeral Service will be held on Monday, March 28, 2016 at the St. John's Anglican Church, 126 - 52 Avenue W., Claresholm, AB at 1:30 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bill's memory to the St. John's Anglican Church, PO Box 400,Claresholm, AB, T0L 0T0.
Sorry I did not see this obituary sooner. Bill and Freda were very dear friends to our family since our early days in Canada, first in Fort McMurray, and later in Calgary and Ponoka. Our boys thought of them as grandparents and loved them dearly. Sadly, we have lost touch over the years but they will always remain in our memories. May good Lord be merciful to their souls, may they rest in peace... To Jane & Stan and all the family members - our heartfelt condolences... Louis and Sylvia Patz (Pac) and family in Calgary (sspatz1@hotmail.com)