Katherine Reynolds

Katherine Lewis Reynolds passed away peacefully on July 10, 2016, with her daughter by her
side. She was 92. Katherine lived at Peak Resources Cherryville and received additional loving
care by Hospice Cleveland County. Born on July 24, 1923, in Wilson, NC, she was the
youngest of six children of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Dallas Lewis.
Katherine is preceded in death by her parents, by three brothers and two sisters, by two
brothersinlaw
James A. Reynolds Jr. and William D. Reynolds Sr. and by her fatherand
motherinlaw
of Shelby Mr. and Mrs. James Arthur Reynolds Sr.
Her beloved husband of 65 years Robert Kay Reynolds Sr. also preceded her in death. Until
December 2015 Katherine served as her husband’s devoted caregiver until his death in
February of this year.
A fully devoted follower of Christ Jesus, Katherine remembered being greatly influenced as a
young girl by traveling from Wilson to Ridgecrest Church Camp in western North Carolina. She
was a member of and married at First Baptist Church in Wilson. After her marriage, she joined
the Presbyterian Church USA where both of her children were baptised and where she was
ordained as a Deacon and as an Elder for life. In the mid1980s,
Katherine served as a member
of the Synod’s Council for the MidAtlantic
Region of the Presbyterian Church USA in Raleigh,
NC. An adult Sunday school teacher for more than 30 years, she also served on a mission trip
to Malawi, Africa, in 2005. During the last decade, as members of Aldersgate United Methodist
Church, Katherine and Bob received and enjoyed the many Christcentered
gifts of fellowship,
friendship, and love. One of Katherine’s greatest joys was her personal Bible study. Her faith
sustained her throughout her entire life.
After graduating from Atlantic Christian College in Wilson, NC, (now Barton College) with an
A.B. in English, Katherine graduated with an M.Ed. in Physical Education from the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1944. She was awarded a postwar academic position at Atlantic
Christian as Associate Professor of Women’s Physical Education where she taught until 1950.
After her young family moved to Shelby, in 1964, Malcolm Brown hired Katherine to build the
Department of Girls’ Physical Education and Sports at Shelby High School where she taught
until 1981. During that time, she began the Girls’ Monogram Club, was a faculty sponsor of
FCA, and coached girls’ basketball, softball, track, and volleyball. Katherine was honored as the
first woman inducted into the Shelby Sports Hall of Fame in 1981.
Katherine is survived by her daughter Katherine Lewis Reynolds and her son Robert Kay
“Robby” Reynolds Jr. (Janet). By three grandchildren, Kimberly Reynolds Dixon (Harry),
Meredith Reynolds Smith (Erik), and Robert Kay “Tripp” Reynolds III. By four
greatgrandchildren,
Morgan Elizabeth Dixon, Parker Lee Dixon, Drew Allen Dixon, and Abigail
Katherine Smith. By two sistersinlaw,
Dorothy Reynolds Rosser and Marianne Weathers
Reynolds. By two special nephews, Waldemar G. Von Miller (Carol) and Dr. Clarence Franklin
Lewis Jr. (Lynne). By a special grandniece, Meredith Lewis Larson (Robert) and other loving
nieces and nephews.
Burial will be private at Sunset Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Aldersgate U.M.C, 1207
W. Dixon Blvd, Shelby, NC 28152. ClayBarnette
Funeral Home of Shelby is serving the family