Wiley Eugene “Gene” Reynolds

Evans Funeral Home of Jefferson, Georgia announces the death of Mr. Wiley Eugene “Gene” Reynolds, age 85 of Jefferson, Georgia, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, March 30, 2021.  He died resting peacefully at Northeast Georgia Medical Center following a two-week battle with the aftermath of a stroke.        

Born on September 20, 1935, in Talmo, Georgia, to the late James Arthur Reynolds and the late Annie Ola Mae Davidson Reynolds, he was the seventh of ten children – Ralph, Lorena (Johnston), Carl, Annie Grace (Beatty), Herman, Louis, Frances (Hanson), Christine, and Clarence.  He served in the U.S. Army for two years in active duty and four years in the reserves. 

He met his bride Barbara in 1961 at White Plains Baptist Church and always described that encounter as “love at first sight.”  They were married in that same church on June 30, 1962, and they were members there for the next twenty years.  From there, they joined Bethabra Baptist Church in 1980 and served there for another twenty years before spending their final years together as members of Talmo Baptist Church, from 2002 to the present. 

Many homes in the Jackson County area were blessed by his craftsmanship and talent in woodworking.  He built kitchen cabinets for countless families, and he also crafted other treasures, such as tables, china cabinets, gun cabinets, entertainment centers, end tables, coffee tables, doll houses, rocking horses, toy boxes, bookshelves, plaques – there was no limit to what he could do with a piece of wood. 

Pop – as his eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren dearly knew him – loved to sing, and he loved Blue Bell ice cream.  His favorite advice to give was, “Everyone should get saved and get married,” and he would gladly tell you the stories of how God led him to both.  Pop was a builder, but he built more than cabinets.  He laid a strong foundation of principles from the Bible and built a Godly heritage centered on loving God, loving His Word, and loving each other.  He loved his family to the fullest, and he always made sure they knew how much he loved each one of them. 

Those who remain behind, forever touched by his life are Barbara Cooper Reynolds, his wife of 58 years, his daughter Alicia McCartney and her husband John of Lawrenceville, his son Mark Reynolds and his wife Kaye of Winterville, his grandchildren – Daniel and his wife Mary, Joshua and his wife Amy, Kassidy, Hunter, Katherine, Sarah, Mac, and Steven – and his great-grandchildren Michael, Elizabeth, and Clara.  He is also survived by his sister Frances Hanson of Jefferson and his brother Clarence Reynolds of Cornelia. 

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Friday, April 2, 2021, from the Chapel of Evans Funeral Home with Reverend Clarence Reynolds and Reverend Mark Spence officiating, with burial to follow in White Plains Baptist Church Cemetery.  The family will receive friends 12:00 – 2:00 P.M. at the funeral home on Friday prior to the service.  Gentlemen honored as pallbearers are Daniel Elder, Joshua Elder, Hunter Reynolds, Mac McCartney, Steven McCartney and Bert Elder.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you donate to the Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center, 2150 Limestone Parkway # 222, Gainesville, Georgia 30501, or to the charity of your choice.   The family would also like to thank all of their loved ones and friends who have supported them and prayed for them during this time. 

Pop, we are so thankful you got to go home.  We look forward to the day when we see you again, when together we will sing songs of worship in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Until then, we echo the words you faithfully offered at the beginning of the blessing each time our family gathered.  “Father, we thank You for all the blessings of life.”

Evans Funeral Home, Inc, 1350 Winder Highway, Jefferson, Georgia.

Online condolences at www.evansfuneralhomeinc.com