Virgil Reynolds

On January 28th Virgil Reynolds got the call that his work on Earth was done surrounded by his loved ones and with a full heart said his goodbyes and was ready to meet his Lord Jesus. He was born on April 13th, 1944, in Hagerman New Mexico to George and Lucy Reynolds. He married the love of his life Betty on April 24th, 1965. He was the father of three boys and the grandfather of five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was a graduate of Ruidoso High School in 1963, and the first of his family to ever graduate High School making him very proud. He was a very good athlete and played many sports his favorite being basketball. He worked all his life first starting around the age of 6. He worked picking cotton, fruit, vegetables, and piñon nuts. Doing about anything to help the family in lean times. He also worked at the Ice Plant and doing construction for John Emdy. In 1966 he started his career with the village of Ruidoso, and in 1968 became one of three paid full-time members of Ruidoso Volunteer Fire Department. In 1982 he was hired as fire chief of the Ruidoso Fire Department. He had many dreams for enlarging the fire department. He wanted the volunteer department to have the opportunity to someday become paid firefighters for the village. He also felt that there was a need for better equipment and multiple stations to have a quicker response to better protect the community. It was hard work that required tenacity, patience and a strong faith but over the 25 years as chief he was able to see his vision through. When he retired from RFD in 2007 there were 21 employees two substations and a newly constructed state of the art Main station. He was a proud employee of The Village of Ruidoso for 43 years. Yet with all these accomplishments his greatest accomplishment was his family. He took great pride that his three boys and many members of his family had at one time been members of the RFD. He loved being Betty's husband and they had 59 beautiful years together and yet it was still too short. 

The Lasting Impressions of strength and love will never be forgotten by his loved ones. He was his children's football, basketball and baseball coach for many years. He went to the local orphanage and found children that would like to play sports and transported them back and forth to games. They kept in touch with him for many, many years. He loved to go hunting with his brothers and his sons and it brought him great joy. He had many interests including basketball, fishing, golf, playing rummy with his wife, playing poker and just sitting around a campfire with his kids. He found great pleasure in gardening and caring for his beautiful flowers and caring for his chickens. He was a godly man whose faith in the Lord was evident to all who knew him. 

He is survived by his loving wife Betty; sons, Virgil Reynolds (Angel) of Alice, Texas, Rodney Reynolds (Shari) of Ruidoso, New Mexico, and Kelvin Reynolds (Stacy) of Ruidoso, New Mexico; grandchildren, Zac Reynolds (Sarah), Zane Reynolds (Christian), Joshua Reynolds, Jacob Reynolds, and Sarah Reynolds; great grandchildren, Layton Reynolds, Kenzie Reynolds, and Gunner Reynolds; brothers, Jerry Reynolds, Thomas Reynolds, Frankie Reynolds, and Clyde Reynolds; sisters, Margie Bouldin, and Becky Reynolds; other family, Ralph Randolph Reynolds, Dona Concha Rodriguez, Florencio Gonzales, and Avelina Chavez. 

Mr. Reynolds is preceded in death by his parents, Geroge Reynolds and Dulcinea Reynolds; brother, Frankie Reynolds; nephews, Yank Kannady, Lonnie Guilez, Leonard Corona, and Jerry Reynolds. 

Pallbearers are area firefighters. 

Honorary Pallbearers are Zac Reynolds, Zane Reynolds, Joshua Reynolds, Jacob Reynolds, and Sarah Reynolds.

A celebration of life will be held on Monday, February 12, 2024, at 10:00 am at the Ruidoso Convention Center. A procession will leave from the Ruidoso Fire Department (541 Sudderth Drive) at 9:00 am. 

Safely Home:

I am home in Heaven, der ones; Oh, so happy and so bright! There is perfect joy and beauty in this everlasting light. All the pain and grief is over, Every restless tossing passed; I am now at peace forever, Safely home in Heaven at last. Did you wonder I so calmly, Trod the valley of the shade? Oh! but Jesus' love illumined Every dark and fearful glade. And He came Himself to meet me In that way so hard to tread; And with Jesus' arm to lean on, Could I have one doubt or dread? Then you must not grieve so sorely, For I love you dearly still: Try to look beyond earth's shadows, Pray to trust our Father's will. There is work still waiting for you, So you must not idly stand; Do it now while life remaineth- You shall rest in Jesus' land. When that work is all completed, He will gently call you Home; Oh, the rapture of that meeting, Oh, the joy to see you come!