William Paul (Bill) Reynolds

William Paul (Bill) Reynolds, 75, passed away October 3rd, 2023 at Stormont Vail Hospital, Topeka, KS after a brief, courageous battle with cancer. He was born September 1, 1948 in Sabetha, KS to William J and Marie Antonia (Burk) Reynolds who preceded him in death.

He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. Bill grew up in Tecumseh, KS in a home with his parents, younger brother Alan, and maternal grandmother and great grandmother. He graduated from Tecumseh Grade School, Shawnee Heights High School and Washburn University with a BA in English and Teaching Certification. As a Freshman, Bill played for the Washburn baseball team. While a student at Washburn Bill worked part time jobs for the Topeka Cancer Society, and Security Benefit Life, as a printing press operator. His other part time job was Temporary Indefinite Substitute Mail Handler for the U.S. Postal Service.

After graduation, the USPS offered Bill a management trainee position in Kansas City, KS and he moved to Olathe, KS. After completing the trainee position, Bill was promoted to Manager of Customer Service and was involved with hiring for the new Bulk Mail Center in KCK. Bill was promoted to Assistant Postmaster in Lawrence, and then was appointed Manager of Postal Operations for the southern half of Kansas in Wichita, KS. After six years of commuting between Lawrence and Wichita, he became Lawrence Postmaster in 1986. He retired in 2003, completing 36 years of service to the USPS. Even after retirement, Bill would take cases of apples and oranges to the two post offices in Lawrence every Christmas for the employees and took treats to the carriers who were bell ringers for the Salvation Army.

Bill was a member of several service organizations including: Basehor Kiwanis, Lawrence Cosmopolitan Club, Lawrence Breakfast Optimists and served on the Board of Directors for Warm Hearts of Douglas County. He was very active in Kansas Napus (National Association of Postmasters, US) and held every office including President, 2000-2001.

Bill met Sharon Briery when they were both freshmen, the year Shawnee Heights opened. They dated in high school and married in 1967. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include daughter Christina Bandle (Jeff), Lawrence, son Gregory Reynolds (Angie), Overland Park; grandchildren Lauren Bandle, Overland Park, Carolyn Bandle, Aurora, CO, Katie Pruett (Andy), Aurora, CO, Cameron Reynolds, Overland Park, Caitlyn Reynolds, Emporia and Jeffrey Alex Keller, Overland Park. Also surviving are brother Alan Reynolds (Stephanie), Topeka and sister-in-law Zona Hudkins (Steve), Topeka.

Bill loved golf, playing regularly, and marshaling at Eagle Bend in Lawrence. After retirement, he was Vice President of Owens Flower Shop, 2002-2012, switching gears from mail delivery operations to flower delivery operations and helped Sharon with payroll and tax reporting. Bill was well known for the “Santa” theme Christmas cards which he created each year since 1993. The subjects ranged from current events to sports to family projects.

Those on the mailing list looked forward to enjoying his sense of humor each year. Bill and Sharon supported KU sports with football season tickets for many years and attended the Orange Bowl (2008) and Insight Bowl (2008). They were lucky to attend the Final Four Tournament in Kansas City in 1988. Bill’s collection of KU t-shirts and hats attest to his love for the Jayhawks. He was also an avid Royals and Chiefs fan, rarely missing listening to or watching the games. Bill and Sharon enjoyed ballroom dancing, scuba diving and traveling. The highlight of their travels was a 50th Anniversary trip to Australia and New Zealand.

A Celebration of Life will be Monday, October 23, 5-7p.m., at the Union Pacific Depot, 402 N 2nd Street, Lawrence