BANGOR – Helen Irene (Ryer) Reynolds, 94, wife of the late Harvard E. Reynolds, passed away Dec. 27, 2011, with her family at her side, at Phillips-Strickland House, Bangor. She was born May 19, 1917, in Blaine, daughter of Frederick and Lora Pearl (Beals) Ryer.
One of 11 brothers and sisters, she grew up on a small farm in East Corinth. A graduate of Arlington High School, Arlington, Mass., she read her first poem to the graduating class. Later, she was to write many poems. A woman of strong faith, Helen was a member of Christian Science Church, Bangor, for many years. A devoted wife, mother and homemaker, she enjoyed her many grandchildren, her cottage at Branch Lake, winters in Florida, and sailing with her husband. Always the poet, she published a book of her poems, “Almost A Lifetime,” during her residency at Phillips-Strickland House, Bangor. On holidays and family gatherings, she was often invited to read from her book of poetry. An ardent card player, she loved her daily games of seven-card Rummy and Scrabble with her friends and relatives. While attending Beals Business College as a young woman she witnessed the Brady Gang shootout with FBI agents on Main Street, Bangor.
She is survived by one son, V. Paul Reynolds and his wife, Diane, of Hampden; and two daughters, Sandra (Reynolds) Black and her husband, Averill, of Hampden and Christine (Reynolds) Force and her partner, Thomas Cox, of Yarmouth. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, Lt. Col. William Scott Reynolds and his wife, Karen, of Winterport, Suzanne (Reynolds) Pauchey and her husband, Jacques, of Islamorada, Fla., Joshua Reynolds and his wife, Rebecca, of Wayne, Peter Huston and his wife, Dawn, of Hampden, Paul Huston and his wife, Melissa, of Bangor, Heather (Black) Ward and her husband, Matthew, of North Andover, Mass., Christian Force and his wife, Kim, of Yonkers, N.Y., and Hope (Force) Morris and her husband, Carl, of Andover, Mass.; stepgrandchildren, Jeff Black of Vassalboro and Scott Black of Ormond Beach, Fla.; 13 great-grandchildren, Zeb and Lora Reynolds, Dana and Eli Reynolds, Mary and Paul Pauchey, Logan, William and Benjamin Huston, Marlee and Samuel Huston, Austin and Julia Ward, Tycho and Duncan Force, Lila and Brooke Morris; one great-great-grandchild, Davyn Scott Reynolds of New Paltz, N.Y.; many nieces and nephews; and a special niece, Sherrie (Reardon) Graves of Levant. Helen’s family expresses deep appreciation to the nurses and staff at Phillips-Strickland House for the wonderful, loving care shown to their mother during her 11 years of residency.
A service of remembrance will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor. The family invites relatives and friends to share conversation and refreshments at the Family Reception Center of Brookings-Smith, 163 Center St., Bangor, immediately after the service. Interment will be in the spring at Mount Hope Cemetery. Gifts in memory of Helen may be sent to Phillips-Strickland House, 21 Boyd St., Bangor, ME 04401. Condolences to the family may be expressed at
www.BrookingsSmith.com.