World War II Veterans Born: June 7, 1927
Died: February 28, 1986
Married: Lenore C. Helwig
Children: Mrs. Mark (Lynne) Gollands, Kim Reynolds
George Reynolds was the head of the music department at North Country Community College. He and his family lived at 103 Park Avenue.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, March 3, 1986
George Reynolds, 58, music pioneer in region, dies suddenly
By CAROL BRUCE
SARANAC LAKE Professor George F. Reynolds, a leader and pioneer in music in this area, died Friday evening, Feb. 28, at his home at 103 Park Ave., of an apparent heart attack. He was 58.
The school at which he taught, North Country Community College, will close at 4 p.m. Tuesday as a tribute to him. Classes are normally held into the early evening hours.
Professor Reynolds came to Saranac Lake in 1968 to join the newly-opened college. He was director of band and chorale in the music department until 1971 when he was promoted to full professor and head of the music-department.
That same year he received the Outstanding Educator in America award.
In 1973, he was named Adjudicator, New York State School of Music Association, and president of the Essex-Franklin Lyceum, Inc., a post he held until his death.
In 1974, he became coordinator of the Adirondack Choral Vocal Workshop which presents the Adirondack Festival of American Music here each summer. The effort was designed to bring fine music to the area, and Professor Reynolds participated as a composer, educator, sponsor and coordinator.
He was awarded the George Hodson Merit Award in 1979 by North Country Community College. Today, college president David Petty said of Professor Reynolds, "An uncommon man, George dedicated his life to bring beauty into our lives. The community and the college have suffered a loss." College officials will meet soon to decide who should take over the job done by Professor Reynolds. He was planning to retire in May.
Area parks, theaters, churches, schools — all rang at one time or another with music presented by Professor Reynolds. He was organist and music director at St. Bernard's Church in Saranac Lake for 10 years, organist and music director at the Adirondack Community Church in Lake Placid from 1973 to the present, and organist at the Palace Theater in Lake Placid.
A music innovator he displayed his computerized music at the state Data Processors Conference in Albany in 1983. The program was said to hold endless applications for music instruction and could produce manufactured orchestrations.
Professor Reynolds was also a composer. Among his works was "Hodie Cristus Notus Est" (Today Christ is Born), which was performed by the Crane School of Music and at Festival of Music performances in the North Country. He also wrote the NCCC song, "North Country Alma Mater" which was first performed at graduation exercises in 1985.
National music circles also noted his dedication to his craft and he was listed in Who's Who in Music in America. Professor Reynolds was a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishing; life member of the New York School of Music Association and American Chorale Directors Association; life member of Music Educators National Conference; American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP); National Educators Association; and American Guild of Organists and Piano Technicians.
Active in community affairs, he was a past president of St. Bernard's Parent-Educators, former board member of the Lake Placid Center for Music Drama and Arts; member of local Elks Lodge 1508, and of the Ogdensburg Diocesan Liturgical Commission.
He was also a member and past president of Saranac Lake Rotary Club, and received Rotary's highest distinction, the Paul Harris Fellow Award in 1985.
Born June 7, 1927, in New York City, he was the son of George Edmund and Eleonor (Rehbein) Reynolds.
He received his bachelor of arts degree in music education from New York University in 1956 and his master's in music education in 1959. He had been employed with the Ryback Organ Company in the Bronx from 1946 to 1953, and was a teacher at the Baldwin Public Schools from 1956 to 1968. He next moved to Saranac Lake.
Professor Reynolds was a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and the Korean Conflict.
He is survived by his wife, the former Lenore C. Helwig of Saranac Lake, whom he married Nov. 5, 1950; two daughters, Mrs. Mark (Lynne) Gollands of Tyngsboro, Mass., and Kim Reynolds of Saranac Lake; a brother, Ralph C. Reynolds of Rochester; three nieces; a nephew and many cousins.
Calling hours will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Keough and Son Funeral Home.
The funeral service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the First United Methodist Church in Saranac Lake with the Rev. Richard Chatterton, pastor, officiating along with the Rev. James Sorley of the Adirondack Community Church and the Rev. C. John McAvoy, pastor of St. Bernard's Church. Cremation will follow.
Memorial donations may be made to the George F. Reynolds North Country Community College Memorial Fund in care of the funeral home.
