Fred Benson Reynolds Jr., (Lt. Col., U.S. Army, Ret.) of Galesville, MD, passed away at home April 28, 2014, at the age of 61 after a valiant fight against pancreatic cancer.
Fred was born in Eastman, GA, Feb. 4, 1953, to Louise Sheffield Reynolds and Fred Sr. (U.S. Air Force, Ret). During his childhood in Georgia and England, Fred enjoyed fishing, hunting, playing tennis, and the companionship of his dog, Dewi. He graduated from Dougherty County High School in 1971. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1975 and his master’s degree in antebellum southern history in 1979 from the University of Georgia, where he was an ROTC cadet.
In 1978, while attending the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA, he met and married his first wife, Annette Arieta. Fred served in the U.S. Army from 1977 to 2001, and was a veteran of the Persian Gulf War. He relished overseas tours in Greece, Turkey, Iraq, Germany, and Saudi Arabia, where he met and married the love of his life, Laurie Conway, in 1997. Fred and Laurie settled in Galesville MD in 2002 when Fred began his second career at the Defense Intelligence Agency as a certified defense financial manager.
Sponsored by DIA, he earned a second Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College in Carlisle, PA in 2013. In Fred’s honor, the college and the DIA Alumni association are establishing the Fred B. Reynolds Award for Scholarship in the History of Intelligence.
In his spare time, Fred enjoyed golfing and bicycling. He was an avid reader and sports car fanatic. He was a devoted uncle, an awesome storyteller, and a passionate Georgia Bulldogs fan. He spoke fluent Greek. Fred’s Christian faith was evident in all aspects of his life. He was known for his kind, gentlemanly manner and his quiet, encouraging voice. He was an elder of Grace Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Davidsonville, MD.
Fred will be dearly missed by his wife, Laurie Conway; his parents, Fred and Louise Reynolds and his sister, Debbie (Ken) Maxwell of Sylvester, GA. His passing is mourned by nieces and nephews, Betsy (Dennis) Griffin and their son, Colt; Matthew (Sonya) Maxwell and Molly Maxwell of Sylvester GA; Carolyn Vaughan, Chris Ohlhoff, James Vaughan and Ana Ohlhoff of Smithville, Ont.; Michael (Julia) Tomascin of Calgary, Alta.; Alexandra (Isaaac) Martinez of Lamoni, IA; Ellen (Jamie) Wilson of Peterborough Ont.; and Stuart Conway of Kingston, Ont. He will be dearly missed by his mother-in-law, Maureen Conway of Hamilton, Ont., and brother- and sister-in-laws, Dan (Kathy) Conway of Kingston, Ont., Heather (Michael) Tomascin of Smithville, Ont., and Andy Conway of Toronto, Ont.
Fred was predeceased by his infant nephew, Clayton Griffin.
A memorial service was held Friday, May 2, 2014, at Grace Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Davidsonville, MD. Graveside service and interment with military honors took place at Crown Hill Cemetery, Albany, GA, Monday, May 5, 2014, at 3 p.m. Bro. Bruce Smith , Bro. Jason Jones and Bryce Johnson officiated.
Gifts in Fred’s memory may be made to the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, 750 East Pratt Street, Suite 1700, Baltimore, MD 21202 or online at https://secure.jhu.edu/form/kimmel.
You may sign the online guest book and share your own special thoughts with the family of Mr. Reynolds by visiting Kimbrell-Stern’s website at www.kimbrellstern.com.
