Larry Sessoms
On Feb. 12, Carol and Jim Reynolds will toast their 70th wedding anniversary with their family in our new Westwind Tavern’s private boardroom. They met in the fall of 1948 at a high school football game and both admit it was “love at first sight.” The couple attended Ohio University together where Carol earned a degree in Arts and Jim a degree in Civil Engineering. They were married in 1955 in Kenmore, N.Y., at the Baptist Church.
Following college Jim was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force. The newlyweds were stationed at Pepperell AFB, Newfoundland, where, in 1956, their first daughter, Susan Lynn, was born. Upon Jim’s discharge, he worked on major construction projects in Ohio where their second daughter, Sheryl Lee, was born in 1959. They then moved to Rapid City, S.D., where their third daughter, Sandra Laurie, was born in 1962.
In 1965, Jim entered the University of Washington School of Law and earned a Juris Doctorate degree. After passing the bar exam, he practiced law in the Seattle area. Then, in 1975, Jim was offered and accepted a senior management position in Boeing’s International Operations. Living in the Seattle area for more than 20 years, the family enjoyed hiking, sailing, camping, and skiing. But their lives changed again in 1991 when Jim was assigned as Vice President/General Manager of the Boeing Technical Assistant Team in Bandung, Indonesia. Carol was then pampered with household help! Also, the family traveled extensively around Malaysia, Thailand, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and China, as well as to Europe and Africa.
Ahh, retirement! In 1997, Jim and Carol built a home in a then new Goodyear development called PebbleCreek. As “Creekers” for the last 27 years, they have participated in most every activity our wonderful community has to offer. Many currently know Jim and Carol from their swimming laps regimen in our Tuscany pools—Jim is there most every day, and Carol generally three days a week. In the past, Jim has served on several HOA committees and with Kare Bears. He and Carol have long been lay leaders at PebbleCreek Community Church, which was a fledgling congregation when they first moved here. This local non-denominal church has since grown significantly and meets each Sunday at 9 a.m. in the Eagle’s Nest Ballroom. Carol wrote and produced a play called “The Message,” which was hosted by PCCC. She is presently active in the church Prayer Shawl Ministry knitting prayer shawls for hospice patients. Carol also organized the church’s participation in the Veterans Day Parade, and published a book of inspirational poems called “Carol’s Poems.” The church welcomes the whole PebbleCreek community as we honor this marriage milestone at the Sunday service on Feb. 9.
All their family and friends wish Carol and Jim a happy anniversary and God’s continued blessings as they celebrate 70 years of love, laughter, and priceless memories.