Glen Woodrow Reynolds

February 24, 1922 - January 14, 2022

Glen Woodrow Reynolds, 99, died at home on January 14, 2022, 41 days prior to his 100th birthday. He was born in Houston County, Tennessee on February 24, 1922, to the late Amos Marvin Reynolds and Lucy Lena Petty. Glen was the last surviving child of his parents. He had six older siblings named Doyle, Ell, Sue, John, and twins Arthur and Alma. His younger sister, Martha Elizabeth, was stillborn. Glen was also preceded in death in 2014 by his beloved wife of over 50 years, Sybil Wrenn Reynolds. Glen grew up during the Great Depression, spending the majority of his formative years on the family farm. After graduating from high school, he continued working as a farmer until he was drafted during World War II. He served as a corpsman in the United States Navy for three years. Although he didn’t speak much in later life about his experiences during the war, he would occasionally talk about the day when some of the soldiers from his unit, including himself, were sent to one location while others from his unit were sent to an undisclosed location--which turned out to be Normandy--for the D-Day invasion. Most of those soldiers were killed in action in Normandy and that fact left a lasting impression on him—and motivated him even more to appreciate every day of life and to do good every day of his life. After the war, Glen attended Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, where he earned a degree in Business. After graduating, he moved to Detroit, Michigan for work. After five years in Michigan, he moved back to Tennessee and worked for Insurance Company of North America (INA) as an auditor. He was eventually transferred by INA to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he attended what was then known as Belmont Park Methodist Church. It was there that he first spotted his future wife, Sybil, singing in the choir. It took him months to get up the courage to ask her out, but he eventually did, and they were married at the church in 1963. After moving to Nashville, Tennessee for a year, they returned to Charlotte in 1964 and Glen began a twenty-three-year career with the City of Charlotte, retiring in 1987 as Collection Supervisor in the Finance Department. After retiring from the City of Charlotte, Glen held several part-time jobs, including a job for Hertz, where he and a team of fellow retirees would deliver rental cars between various airports. Glen always enjoyed driving—but we think he especially enjoyed driving because of the stops the group would make at Biscuitville in Burlington for breakfast, Shoney’s in Durham for strawberry pie, or Lexington Barbecue in Lexington for lunch or dinner. Glen and Sybil moved to the Oakdale community in Charlotte in the mid 1960’s and joined Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church, where they were both active members. Glen served on the Administrative Board and numerous committees, was a member of the Madeline Tyson Covenant Class, volunteered with the Room in the Inn ministry, taught Sunday School with his wife, and served as a representative to the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. Glen also was an active member of the Optimist Club for many years. His faith was the cornerstone of his life and he lived every day in service to the Lord. He was also devoted to his wife and their two children. He married later in life and became a father even later in life—so he cherished the time he spent with his wife and his son and daughter. He was a gentle, loving, supportive and grounding force in their lives. Glen loved to fish—so in his retirement years, he often went fishing twice a day—first in the early morning hours and then again after lunch and a nap in the hammock. He didn’t keep what he occasionally caught; instead, he would pat the fish on the head and then release it back into the water. Glen loved nature and loved experiencing all of God’s beauty and creations, so he spent as much time outside as possible. He enjoyed riding his bicycle in the neighborhood—often accompanied by his dog as well as several other neighborhood dogs. He also enjoyed doing yard work, maintaining his car, boat and whatever else might need repairs around the house, and was known to spend hours walking in the woods behind his house, especially next to the creek. In the last few years of his life, when he could no longer hike down and back up the hill to the creek, he would sit on the front porch listening to the birds sing, enjoying the warmth of the sunshine on his face and enjoying visits from his devoted neighbors, friends and church family who were so attentive to him during Sybil’s last years and after her death. In addition to the loving care he received from his neighbors, friends and church family, Glen received loving and devoted care from caregivers, including Pam W., Harry, Donna S., Tancy, Donna B., Marion, Laura, Tenneh and Pam H., who enabled him to fulfill his wish to live a full and independent life at home until his death. Words are inadequate to express what you meant to Glen and what you mean to us. Please know that you are loved and we will never forget your compassion, kindness and generosity. Special thanks also to Dr. Kevin Sharkey and to Novant Health Hospice for helping to ensure that Glen’s transition was peaceful. Glen is survived by his son, Paul D. Reynolds and his wife, Susan S. Reynolds, of Shelby and by his daughter, Amy R. Carrick and her husband, Michael A. Carrick, of Charlotte. A service to celebrate Glen’s life will be held at 3:00pm on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church, 1915 Oakdale Road, Charlotte, NC 28216, officiated by the Reverend Uiyeon Kim. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be private. Memorials may be made to Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church, the Humane Society of Charlotte or Novant Health Hospice. James Funeral Home of Huntersville is serving the family of Glen. Online condolences at www.jamesfuneralhomelkn.com.