Elizabeth Reynolds

Elizabeth Ann Gilliatt Reynolds, 96, of Lynchburg, Virginia passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 21, 2024. She was the daughter of the late Leland Warren Gilliatt and Grace Barnum (Tucker) Gilliatt.

Elizabeth (Betty, Buzzy, Goose, Bibi) was born on July 17, 1928, in Springfield, MA. As an Army brat, her family moved to many different towns and cities early in her life before settling in Marblehead, MA. She graduated from Marblehead High School in 1945, then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA in 1949. She continued her education at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, receiving a Masters of Arts degree in Experimental Audiology in 1954. Finally, Elizabeth received her Doctor of Education (Ed.D) from Boston University in Boston, MA, specializing in Reading and Language Development in 1975.

She pursued her career in education in multiple positions, including as a curriculum materials developer for “open concept” schools for Winchester (MA) Public Schools, as an elementary school teacher specializing in language arts and social studies at Ambrose School (Winchester, MA), and as an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Teacher Education at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, Houston, TX before retiring in May 1992. In August 1992 the University of Houston-Clear Lake awarded her the rank of Professor Emerita in recognition of her outstanding leadership, teaching, scholarship, and service as a faculty member. She was selected as one of University of Houston-Clear Lake’s finalists for the statewide Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation annual award, whose honorees formed the “Piper Professors of 1985,” for outstanding academic, scientific, and scholarly achievement and belonged to multiple professional organizations, including the International Reading Association, American Educational Research Association, National Council of Teachers of English, Phi Lambda Theta, and the American Association of University Women.

Elizabeth enjoyed traveling with her husband, Dr. Edward S. Reynolds, Jr., before his death in 1983. After retiring from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, Elizabeth and her close friend and college roommate Melissa Palmer traveled the world together. They documented many of their Elderhostel/Road Scholar trips with photographs, creating boxes and scrapbooks full of wonderful memories. She traveled with several of her grandchildren to the countries each of them chose to visit to introduce them to the wonders of the world. Over the years, she spent time at Cedarcliff in Rangeley, ME with her family and friends and later accompanied her father there during the summers toward the end of his life.

Elizabeth helped raise money for many different organizations and enjoyed attending opera performances, symphony concerts, and the theater with friends. She established an endowed fund, One World Internship, to support international internships for students at Mount Holyoke College, supported the Riverwalk Project and Ipswich Partnership as well as the Ipswich Visitor Center in Ipswich, MA, and volunteered for programs she cared about deeply in Winchester, MA, Galveston, TX, and other communities in which she lived, including the Winchester Unitarian Church and its Religious Education Program.

As an expert seamstress, she made many of her clothes and her children’s clothes. She also sewed drapes, curtains, and upholstered furniture. Knitting was a popular activity as well as embroidery and needlepoint. She spent time working jigsaw puzzles, especially challenging ones, and completing Sunday’s New York Times crossword puzzles. Her flower gardens were a point of pride, and she enjoyed working in them whenever she could.

Elizabeth loved to engage in lively conversation and was described as “erudite.” Many people enjoyed spending time with her discussing a multitude of issues and concerns. In one of her annual holiday letters to family and friends, she concluded by saying, “I wish for all of us to think and act clearly, critically, and unselfishly as the year unfolds, whatever the event to come.” This wish carried through many aspects of her long life.

Elizabeth is survived by three children: Jean Reynolds Dunham (Edward) of Flagstaff, AZ, Peter Morgan Reynolds (Terri) of Dallas, TX, and Margaret Alice Reynolds of Minneapolis, MN; daughter-in-law Tamara Reynolds of Lynchburg, VA; ten grandchildren; three great grandchildren; her brother James Gilliatt (Louise) of West Greenwich, RI; one niece; two nephews; two cousins; and many loving friends in the community. In addition to her parents, Elizabeth was predeceased by her husband Edward Storrs Reynolds, Jr. (1928-1983); son William Storrs Reynolds (1958-2024); and three cousins.

We are grateful to Brenda Reid, who was Elizabeth’s companion and caregiver throughout most of her time living in Lynchburg, VA until the end of her life, and to the staff and nurses at Runk & Pratt Liberty Ridge Community and Gentle Shepherd Hospice, who have tough but important roles in the care and quality of life for older people.

A Celebration of Elizabeth’s life will be held at 2:30 p.m., Friday, October 18, 2024 in the Pratt Chapel at Runk & Pratt Liberty Ridge Community, 30 Monica Boulevard, Lynchburg, VA 24502 with Reverend Jim Smith officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service.

Tharp Funeral Home, Lynchburg is assisting the family.