Cynthia H. Reynolds

CENTERVILLE —

Cynthia Hutchinson Reynolds, of Centerville, formerly of Winchester, died Nov. 9, 2007, at the age of 97.

Born in 1910, the only girl in a family of six brothers, she grew up on the family farm in Arlington, which supplied her father's innovative grocery chain, Hutchinson Markets, catering to the 'carriage trade' of nearby towns.

Her family's extensive musical, athletic and civic activities, Boston's social whirl and winter treks to Winter Park, Fla., vied with stints at Dana Hall, Cambridge Haskell and Rollins College. Married in 1934 to Robert W. Reynolds, an MIT graduate, they lived in New York where, she would remember with glee, she could earn more modeling at Jays than her highly qualified husband did in his advertising job.

Having moved back to Massachusetts, they settled in Winchester, where Cynthia became active in politics as twice president of the Women's Republican Club, and a successful party fundraiser at state level for the Eisenhower, Herter and Cabot Lodge Jr. campaigns. Visits to the White House and the Republican National Convention were prized rewards.

Her fundraising efforts continued after retirement to Centerville, where her suggestion: "Let's have the nurses put on their uniforms, and stand on the corners, shaking their (collection) cans," initiated Cape Cod Hospital's Tag Day appeal. Chairman of the first campaign, she recorded, "In seven hours, we collected about $8,500." She also served as Cape chairman for UNICEF and was an early supporter of WGBH.

A lady of indomitable spirit and strong opinions with great joie de vivre, Cynthia loved people, piano players and poodles — befriending, owning and/or listening to lots of each. Her ready advice - frivolous to profound - often influenced, cajoled and supported friends and relations into life-changing decisions. An inveterate party giver, she habitually invited newcomers to meet their Bay Lane neighbors. "It's Cynthia Reynolds' fault," the joke goes, "that everyone knows each other." As she tells it: "I danced a thousand miles, kissed a thousand men and had a wonderful life."

She leaves behind a son, Robert Reynolds of Noank, Conn.; a daughter, Marjorie Wright, of Centerville and Devon, U.K.; granddaughters, Margo Packer of Rowayton, Conn., and Courtney Musser of London, U.K.; grandsons, Rob Reynolds of Los Angeles, and Tim Wright of Philadelphia; and great-grandchildren, Whitney and Jeffrey Packer, plus numerous nieces, nephews.

Celebration of her life is planned, to be announced at a later date.