Obituary— Doris Marie Graves Reynolds
Doris Marie Graves Reynolds, 96, of Uvalde died on Dec. 5, 2021, at her residence.
A private graveside service was held for immediate family members Friday, December 10, 2021 at Montel Cemetery, in Montel, Texas.
She was born on April 19, 1925, in Uvalde to Clara and Lee Graves.
She grew up in Uvalde, and graduated from Uvalde High School in 1943. She attended Texas Woman’s University and the University of Texas in Austin, and earned a degree in education and English from Sul Ross State University.
She married Terry Reynolds, in May 18, 1945, in Uvalde and the family says the couple were happily married until his death in 1998.
After marriage, the couple moved to San Antonio, where he worked with horses and livestock. Later, they moved back to the Uvalde area where he worked on ranches in Montel and Brackettville while she raised two young children, daughter Kathie and son Bill.
In 1953, the family moved out to far west Texas where he took a job as a ranch foreman in Kent. According to the family, to say that they were “out in the country” would be an understatement. The ranch house was more than 50 miles from the nearest town, and 10 of that was on a rough dirt road. She tended to the children and tried not to step on any rattlesnakes that would occasionally appear from underneath the house. The family said she became accustomed to other wild animals, including deer and mountain lions, appearing on the property.
While living on the ranch, she gave birth to two other children, Jimmy and Matt. She began her teaching career by home-schooling her first two children, and the family said she was homeschooling before it became fashionable.
In 1957, the couple decided to move to town, in Van Horn, so she could obtain a paid teaching job, while her husband started a business.
The family says they spent many wonderful years in the little town of Van Horn; and all four of her children grew up there and graduated from high school. Reynolds became a beloved teacher of first- and fifth-grade there. The family says they feel God placed her on planet Earth to be a teacher and mentor, and she was one of the best, having made a positive impact on hundreds of her students over the years. They said many of her students fondly remember their time with her as their teacher.
According to the family, they have been told by many people that she was the best teacher they ever had, and she had a talent and gift for education, whether in school or out. Growing up, she never failed to correct her children if they spoke incorrectly, made a grammar error, or misspelled a word – she was always teaching.
Years spent in Van Horn were filled with backyard barbecues, bridge games, and time spent with friends. She was a devout Christian and remained true to her faith her entire life, and she and her husband helped establish the first Episcopal Church in Van Horn.
In 1978, the couple moved back to Uvalde, their hometown, where she taught for the remainder of her career at Batesville School.
The family says in addition to educating children, her other interests included oil painting – she was quite an artist – working crossword puzzles and other word games, and keeping up with friends and family, whom she cherished deeply.
The family says she never said an unkind word about anyone, and if she had a negative thought about someone, she would never utter it; and as large as her extended family was, she always knew when everyone’s birthdays were. She told them the reason she was able to remember so many was because she prayed for every one of them every single day.
According to the family, she claimed to have spanked Matthew McConaughey when he was a child, though they say they were unable to substantiate this claim.
She was not opposed to sipping on a bourbon and enjoying a cigarette while sitting around the table discussing the issues of the day, and the family says those table-side problem solving episodes were probably some of her happiest moments.
The family recalls she always welcomed visitors into her home, both expected and unexpected, with a shout of “come in this house,” a big smile, and an enthusiastic hug. They described her as a beloved mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, and friend to many.
She loved, respected and admired her nine siblings, and took great pride in her nieces and nephews. The family says she was overjoyed each time another grandchild or great-grandchild was born, and she never missed a birthday for any of them, usually sending a card with some cash.
According to the family, Reynolds was the epitome of grace, humility, honesty and integrity, a woman much more interested in how she could help others than she was in doing something for herself. They said she was a caring and loving person who will be terribly missed.
She is survived by her daughter, Kathleen Carr of Uvalde; two sons, Jim Reynolds and wife, Therese, of Fort Worth, and Matt Reynolds and wife, Dina, of Boerne; seven grandchildren, Zac Reynolds, Ben Reynolds, Jeffrey Reynolds, Robert Reynolds, Blake Reynolds, Ryan Reynolds and Billy Reynolds; eight great-grandchildren, Luke Reynolds, Brock Reynolds, Mick Reynolds, Zeke Reynolds, Drake Reynolds, Jack Reynolds, Luke Reynolds and Reese Reynolds; sister Mary Huffstedler of Concan; and numerous, nieces, nephews, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband; son William Reynolds; grandson, Josh Reynolds; and seven siblings, Lee Graves, Jack Graves, Ethel Wallace, Betty Capt, George Graves, William Graves and James Graves.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Philip’s Episcopal School, 343 N. Getty St., or to El Progreso Memorial Library, 301 W. Main St., Uvalde, TX 78801.
Pallbearers will be Zac Reynolds, Jeffrey Reynolds, Ryan Reynolds, Ben Reynolds, Blake Reynolds, Robert Reynolds, William Reynolds and Luke Reynolds. Honorary pallbearers are Terry Bein and Lee Wallace.
Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary, www.rekfunerals.com
