Minor Garland Reynolds, Jr.

Minor Garland Reynolds, Jr. was born a son of this land on August 18, 1935, and died a man of the world on September 26, 2024. 

A memorial service will be held for Mr. Reynolds on Thursday, October 3rd, 2024 at 1:00 at Grace Episcopal Church.

As a boy, Mr. Reynolds visited his grandfather on the farm their family has owned and run in Hall County, Georgia, since the early 1800s. He recalled the day when, at six years old, he and his father visited his grandfather. All three listened to the radio one Sunday when a voice interrupted the regular programming to announce that Japanese forces had bombed Pearl Harbor. Mr. Reynolds's mother's family hailed from North Carolina, and his grandmother taught him to fish on the Little Tennessee River near her brother's farm in Otto. He slept in the loft on a featherbed alongside his brother and fetched food from the spring house when asked.

From an early age, Mr. Reynolds involved himself in his hometown of Gainesville, Georgia. At ten years of age, he sold papers on the square in downtown Gainesville and rode his bike to deliver them to the residents living along historic Green Street. He joined the Boy Scouts and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. For the whole of his life, he sincerely appreciated the lessons scouting instilled, and he became a scout leader as an adult to share the values that shaped him with the next generation. 

Mr. Reynolds served in the Georgia Air National Guard while studying at Georgia Tech, earning bachelor's degrees in science and architecture. He passionately pursued his architectural vocation as an artist whose medium happened to be bricks, timbers, and steel beams. He designed structures across the Southeast with life and personality. To best realize his clients' visions, he traveled the world, researching symbolism, ferreting out sources for the best materials, and studying ancient structures. He examined the pyramids in Egypt, visited one of the oldest marble quarries in Israel, researched Palladian architecture in Italy, and walked the beaches of Normandy. His work earned the attention and respect of his peers. He became a member of the College Of Fellows of the American Institute Of Architects, serving at various times as the president of the Atlanta chapter and the chairman of the National AIA Committee on Urban Assistance.

People fascinated Mr. Reynolds, and he spent more time hearing his clients' stories than most architects and immersing himself in the spirit of whole communities. His resulting buildings capture the essence of the people they serve, providing spaces for performance, worship, transit, rest, and education, all while weaving images and echoes of past, present, and future into their framework. His designs have left an indelible mark on Georgia and beyond. Hikers in Tallulah Gorge learn about the land in Jane Hurt Yarn Interpretive Center and Theater of his design, while other hikers make his Len Foote Hike Inn their destination for a weekend getaway. Students at Reinhardt University, Brenau University, and Piedmont College all claim his spaces as their own in their quest for higher learning. Campers at Elachee Nature Center and Camp Glisson run and play, finding a home away from home in buildings of his imagination. Community members recognized his immense contributions by naming him Gainesville Rotary Man of the Year in 2015 and Reinhardt University conferred on him an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.

Perhaps his favorite projects were the churches and chapels he designed. Every Sunday, thousands of people across the Southeast gather to praise God in spaces Mr. Reynolds envisioned. He listened to the congregations and then to the movement of the Spirit as he created sacred spaces where worshippers gather to meet the divine.

Mr. Reynolds anchored his passion for spaces in his deep respect for history and worked to see that history honored and preserved. He served in various roles on boards, including those of the Funk Heritage Center at Reinhardt University, the Byron Herbert Reece Society, Friends of Healen's-Head's Mill, the Grant Monument Association, and founded the Longstreet Society. He particularly respected the longstanding and deep connection between General James Longstreet and President Ulysses S. Grant. He marveled how the two men became friends at West Point before the Civil War and remained so through the ravages of the war and the rebuilding of the country after it.

Famous Georgia poet Byron Herbert Reece wrote of his own legacy:

From chips and shards, in idle times,

I made these stories, shaped these rhymes;

May they engage some friendly tongue

When I am past the reach of song.

-Epigraph for Bow Down in Jericho [Dutton, 1950]

Minor Garland Reynolds, Jr. now belongs to the place "past the reach of song." However, his impact on the community will continue to be felt for decades, perhaps centuries, as Georgians across the state will continue to enjoy the fruits of his passion and labor.

Mr. Reynolds was preceded in death by his parents, Minor Garland "Butch" Reynolds Sr., and Julia Mae Reynolds, as well as his brother Terry Reynolds and his son Matthew Reynolds. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Reynolds; daughters Julia King and O'Neil Anderson; sons, Reid Reynolds and Neil Reynolds; grandchildren Katherine Yee, Thomas King, Maya Supnik, and Asher Supnik; as well as three great-grandchildren: Theo Yee, Ellie Yee, and Isaac King. Other surviving relatives include his sister Jane Reynolds Hemmer and her husband John Hemmer; sister-in-law Evelyn Reynolds; nephew Lee Hemmer; nieces Dawn Rivas, Wendy Ernest, and Mary Hemmer; and many great-nieces, great-nephews, and cousins.

The void left by his passing is a testament to his impact on the lives of many. His legacy will continue to echo throughout every corridor, room, and balcony he designed, a reminder of his enduring influence. Mr. Reynolds's projects are too great to number, so please visit his website to fully understand the scope of his work, though even that list isn't exhaustive: http://garlandreynoldsarchitect.com/projlist.htm

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully asks that donations be made to Grace Episcopal Church in Gainesville, GA, or Glisson Camp and Retreat Center in Dahlonega, GA. 

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Memorial Park Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. 2030 Memorial Park Rd. Gainesville, Ga 30504