Robert Louis Reynolds, 89, of Prosper, Texas, died peacefully in his home on November 13, 2020. He was born on November 23, 1930, in his grandparent’s home in Allen, Texas, to William Franklin Reynolds and Ruby Ann (Bolin) Reynolds. He was the oldest of three children.
Raised in Lebanon and Frisco, he graduated from Frisco High School in 1949, along with his high school sweetheart Peggy Joy (Cobb) Reynolds. They married on December 3rd of that same year and moved to Prosper to begin their 54-year marriage and a life of farming, a way of life taught to him by his father and his grandfather before him. They first set up housekeeping in a home on a 300-acre farm that was purchased by his father in 1945, located in the area of Fishtrap Road and the Denton/Collin County line.
In 1956, when their son Robbie was two, they moved to the Smith Place farm in the Parvin community, owned by Clarence and Leo Smith, who were the first people to rent land to Robert to extend his farming operation. They lived there until they built a home in town in 1963, where they welcomed their daughter Shana in 1964. About that time Robert was first elected to the Prosper ISD School Board, serving 15 consecutive years and then serving three more years to fulfill unexpired terms of other members. He served as president for several years. Reynolds Middle School in Prosper was named and dedicated to the service of Robert and Robbie in 2010. Robbie also served on the Prosper ISD School Board for 18 years, six of those as president.
Robert was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church of Prosper. He also served on the Collin County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, the Prosper Co-op Gin Board of Directors, and was a past member of the Prosper Volunteer Fire Department.
Farming was not always enough to make a living in the early years, so Robert also worked at LTV among other places, as did several farmers in Prosper during the winter months. He was no stranger to hard work and has told many stories, including how he would work alongside the adults in the field at the age of seven, earning $1 for a full day’s work picking cotton. Playing football in high school was important enough to him that he would walk the five miles home after practice and then do his chores as was expected.
Education was also important to Robert and both his children graduated from Prosper High School and Texas A&M University. Upon graduation from college in 1977, Robbie and his wife Sharon returned to Prosper and joined the family farming operation. They farmed land in Prosper and the surrounding area, raising primarily cotton, wheat, grain sorghum, and corn. Robert “retired” in 1995, but continued to work with Robbie in farming and ranching until Robbie’s death in 2018. Robert was never happier than when he was on a tractor. As he grew older, watching and helping with the cattle continued to bring him joy as did being able to throw out a line occasionally to catch a few fish at the ranch in Oklahoma. He instilled in his family the importance of hard work, a job well done, honoring your word and the Lord we serve. His strength and stubborn nature allowed him to live a long life despite the physical ailments he faced. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Robert is survived by his daughter Shana Kay Wortham and son-in-law Reavis Wortham of Prosper, Texas; his daughter-in-law Sharon Reynolds of Prosper, Texas; his granddaughters Tamra Kay Reynolds of Denver, Colorado, Megan Joy Reynolds and her husband Collin of Aubrey, Texas, and Chelsea Wortham Hamilton and her husband Jason of McKinney, Texas. He is also survived by his five great grandchildren, along with numerous nieces and nephews, cousins, family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents W.F. and Ruby Reynolds, his wife Peggy Reynolds, his son Robbie Ray Reynolds, his sister Ruby Mae Nichols, and his brother Willie Ray Reynolds.
A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, November 20, 2020 at Baptist Church Prosper, 601 S. Church Street, Prosper, Texas, 75078. Interment is to follow at Ridgeview Memorial Park, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013.
Family and friends are invited to Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013 at their convenience on Thursday, November 19, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. to pay their respects and to sign the register book. Only a limited number of guests will be allowed to enter the funeral home facility at any one time to maintain social distancing.