John Reynolds

REYNOLDS, John Bart "Jay" When the Saints went marching in on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020, John Bart (Jay) Reynolds was in that number. Jay, 93, passed peacefully surrounded by his children. He will be sorely missed by his large family including five children, Nina Warren, (Jimmy) of Whitesburg, GA, Patrice Reynolds, (Jorge de Cubas) of Sherrills Ford, NC, Bart Reynolds, of Athens, GA, Terri Cronk, of Panama City, FL and Colleen Crupie, (Torre) of Alpharetta, GA. In addition, he is survived by 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, all of whom he profoundly loved and enjoyed. For years Jay and his wife Louise Berry Reynolds (deceased) provided wonderful memories of family gatherings at Thanksgiving and Christmas, leaving a legacy of love. Jay was born on Jan. 28, 1927, in Bethlehem, PA, to the late Bart John and Beatrice Burkhardt Reynolds. Jay was the second of six children and in addition to his wife and parents he will join his two younger siblings, Joanie Ryan and Billy Reynolds and two grandchildren. Surviving siblings are Mary Bard, Peggy Nikander and BeBe Cist, all of Pennsylvania. Near the end of WWII, at the age of 17, with written permission from his parents, Jay entered the Navy in 1944. He was sent to the Academy of Aeronautics at LaGuardia Field, where he learned about airplane engines, then on to Rome Army Air Depot in NY where he repaired airplanes. Jay served two years in the Navy, with more than one year on a PT base in the Philippines, working on PT boats. Discharged from the Navy, Jay went back to high school and later entered Seton Hall University on the GI Bill. Jay met Louise Therese Berry in 1947 when his family moved next door to them. Their attraction was deep and mutual and they were married on June 3, 1950. Jay went to work for Louise's father Lewis at the East Orange Lathing Company, and helped build Lewis' personal pink stucco house solely of steel and metal lath. At college, some of Jay's professors were former FBI agents and encouraged Jay to submit an application to the FBI. After graduating Seton Hall, Jay submitted his application and was immediately accepted into the FBI in 1951. After training in Washington DC, Jay was transferred to Boston in 1954 and then to Atlanta, GA in 1955. None of their family knew where Atlanta was, so they thought he was being banished to the southern city of the 1936 novel, Gone with the Wind. But Louise's Aunt Tess had traveled through Georgia and told the young couple they would love Atlanta, and indeed they did! Jay spent 26 years as a FBI Special Agent, investigating and helping to resolve many federal cases. Perhaps one of the most notorious cases involved an Emory University student who had been kidnapped and held for ransom while buried alive in a coffin-like box in a shallow trench in rural Gwinnett County, GA in 1968. Upon finding the burial site, Jay and the other agents were digging on the ground with their hands and anything they could find to rescue her. With tears streaming down, Jay lifted her from the coffin where she had been buried for three days...she was alive! Throughout his career, Jay received numerous commendations from Director J. Edgar Hoover for his bravery, exceptional performance, exemplary work and guidance in investigations. In 1969, Jay was assigned to Washington DC, where he would eventually be trained to head a field office. Missing the field and with his older children resisting a move, Jay asked Hoover if he could return to Atlanta and his request was granted. Jay went on to serve as the training coordinator for the Atlanta office, diligently working to increase the effectiveness of local law enforcement agencies in the State of Georgia. Jay retired from the Bureau in 1980 and went to work at ROCIC, the Regional Organized Crime Information Center. He never knew a stranger and always maintained great relations with law enforcement officers. Jay enjoyed working security for the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Braves before retiring completely. His partner in life and beloved wife Louise joined him in retirement and they were both active with the Atlanta MG Club. Jay also attended VFW meetings and volunteered with Saint Vincent de Paul transporting seniors to appointments. He cared for Louise attentively when they lived at Tapestry House Memory Care in Alpharetta until she passed in Jan. 2018. Jay was beloved by the staff there, perpetually joking with them and always attentive to the other residents. We are sure that when Jay reached the pearly gates and Saint Peter asked how are you? Jay replied, "Outstanding as usual!" Upon hearing the news of his passing, his 8-year-old great grandson prayed, "I hope Papa enjoyed his first day in heaven with Grandma." We are sure he did! The family will celebrate a private mass for Jay on Oct. 16 at Saint Brigid Catholic Church in John's Creek, GA. His ashes will be buried alongside Louise. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of John B. (Jay) Reynolds can be made to the Georgia Special Olympics at give.specialolympics.org/Georgia The family would like to dearly thank the staff at Tapestry House for their love and care of Jay. And as Jay would say to them, "I'm glad you got to see me." Indeed, we're glad we got to see and know you Jay! God bless you!