Jacquelyn Reynolds

Jacquelyn Reynolds, age 64 of Fayetteville, died Sunday, December 22, 2019, in Fayetteville. She was born July 6, 1955, in Batesville, Arkansas, the daughter of Walter and Cloma Willene Green. She was preceded in death by her sister, Gwen Burrell, and brother-in-law, Jim Burrell. She is survived by her mother, Willene Green, husband, Michael Reynolds, daughter Bourgon Reynolds, son-in-law Brad Meredith, and two granddaughters, Juniper and Lillian Meredith. Jacquelyn was an educator for nearly 24 years. She began her teaching career in Winslow, Arkansas, and later transitioned to Fayetteville's Woodland Junior High. There, she spent the remainder of her career teaching grades 7-9 English, Oral Communication, and Drama. As an educator, her great passions included reading Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and Elie Wiesel's Night with her English students, conducting improv classes with her Oral Communication students, and studying archetypes with her Drama classes. She was an advocate for the underdog. She sought out students in her classes that needed extra help or encouragement, or those who felt left out. Jacquelyn will be remembered as a lifelong learner, avid reader, and intellectual. She loved authors such as Henry Miller, Hunter S. Thompson, Ernest Hemingway, and Michael Connelly, among many others. She was inspired by the moon, wolves, art, the ocean, and the desert. Her favorite artists included Georgia O'Keeffe, Henri Mattisse, and Pablo Picasso. She had a fantastic sense of humor, wit, and sarcasm. For instance, she lovingly referred to her husband's diminishing hair tuft as a "short nap shag, in a high traffic area." It was a routine occurrence to laugh until you cried with her. She loved music, and raised her daughter on the likes of Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, The Rolling Stones, Jimmy Buffet, Billie Holiday, R.E.M., U2, Pearl Jam, and Bruce Springsteen. She was a devoted mother to her daughter, pouring herself into the enrichment and love of her child. Decorating for Halloween with her daughter would form some of the most precious memories of her daughter's childhood. She raised her daughter to value tolerance, empathy, and kindness towards others. She was her daughter's biggest fan. When her two granddaughters arrived, she became Gigi, a role she treasured nearly as much as being a mother. Juniper and Lillian were the light of her life. Jackie and her husband spent countless hours with the girls at their house doing art, playing on the deck, making pancakes, and watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas, or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Jackie and her husband loved baseball. From April through October, their television was tuned to her husband's favorite team, the St. Louis Cardinals (much to her chagrin) or the New York Yankees, her favorite team. They loved attending spring training during Spring Break. And if not tuned to baseball, you could find them watching MSNBC, or binging on The Sopranos, The Wire, or The Office (for the umpteenth time). Jackie was also an animal lover. Her and her husband always had multiple cats, dogs, or a combination of both. Their pets were members of the family. Jackie felt most at peace near the water. She loved to travel and spend time on the lake or at the beach. Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, December 28, 2019, at First Christian Church in Fayetteville, followed by a burial service at Fairview Memorial Gardens, under the direction of Moore's Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The ALS Association of Arkansas, 1200 W Walnut, Suite 2309, Rogers, Ark., 72756. To sign the online guest book, visit www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.