Ronald Duane Reynolds, 74 , of Winfield, Kan., died Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017, at the Kansas Veterans Home.
Ron, the son of Ralph L. and Barbara J. (Thurlow) Reynolds, was born on May 30, 1943, in Winfield, where he lived most of his life and where he went to school.
He married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn L. Kelley, on March 24, 1961, despite her once having declared that she would never go on a date with him.
Ron served in the Navy Reserves in 1960 before moving to active duty with the Navy aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard, an aircraft carrier, from 1961 to 1964, when he was honorably discharged. He worked in the fire crew aboard ship and relished telling the story of the time he was almost swept off the deck by the blast from a plane taking off.
After the Navy, Ron worked as a brake and roll operator at Beechcraft. He also worked for Morton Buildings and had a small appliance repair shop before returning to Beach as a spinning-lathe operator. He retired from Raytheon/Hawker-Beech in 2009.
Ron and Carolyn raised three daughters -- Vicki, Sharon and Michelle -- of whom he was enormously proud. But it was the grandkids -- Derek, Ryan and Peyton -- who were the joys of his life. He attended nearly every football game, every volleyball match, every band or orchestra concert -- Pa Ron, or Papaw, would do anything for his grandbabies.
In fact, family meant everything to Ron, and he made sure his was taken care of. As the oldest of 10 kids, he took his role of big brother seriously. He would -- and did -- do anything for his loved ones without asking anything for himself.
Ron had a passion for cars and drag racing, a pastime he shared with his son-in-law, Chris. He raced his own car on many a Sunday at the drag strip near Ark City.
Ron also loved gardening with his granddaughter and working on home projects, the original DIY guy. He also developed a taste for auctions, and nothing gave him greater pleasure than the thrill of bidding against someone -- even when he didn't need the item being sold. His greatest triumph was acquiring a solid oak desk for $1 -- with free delivery, to boot.
Ron liked to travel. He had a fondness for road trips that involved driving back roads and taking the "scenic route." Despite his decades of working in the aviation industry, he was leery of flying and did not take his first commercial flight until the age of 70.
Ron is survived by his wife of 56 years, Carolyn, of Winfield; children Vicki Reynolds of Wichita, Sharon (Chris) Deyoe of South Haven and Michelle Reynolds of Wichita; grandchildren Sgt. Derek (Courtney) Deyoe, USMC, of Twentynine Palms, Calif., Ryan Deyoe of Winfield and Peyton Reynolds of Wichita; and siblings Marilyn (Ernest) Glotta of Gordonville, Texas, John (Gail) of Phoenix, Jeanne (Larry) Calvin of Udall, Neil (Rosemary) of Oconto, Wis., Robert of Gordonville, Jovita (Mike) Stensrud of Wichita, Kay (Dale) McNerny of Rose Hill and Laura (Les) Dixon of Belle Plaine. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother James and niece Janell.
Services are set for 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Miles Funeral Service, with interment to follow at the Kansas Veterans Home cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, at Miles Funeral Home; visitation with the family will be from 5 to 7 p.m.
Donations may be made in Ron's name to the American Cancer Society for multiple myeloma research, the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation or the Cowley County Humane Society.  Contributions may be made through the funeral home.