Josephine Reynolds

Josephine (Jo) Reynolds passed away suddenly on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 1, 2020, apparently from heart failure. She was a resident of The Pavilion at Sunny Hills Long Term Care facility where she had lived for three years because she had experienced a debilitating stroke in 2013, four days after her 75 th birthday. Jo also resided at Yorba Linda Senior Care prior to The Pavilion. She was 82 years old.

Jo was born in Mattoon, Illinois on Wednesday, April 13, 1938, the sixth of nine children to John Elie and Martha Marie Poffinbarger. She resided in Mattoon for all of her childhood, graduating from Mattoon High School in 1957. She exhibited a keen interest in vocal music, even working as a singer in a local club during her senior year.

December 24, 1957, Jo became the young bride of Airman First Class George Thompson in Flora, Illinois. The couple relocated to Tampa, Florida shortly after his discharge from the Air Force and hiring as a photographer for the Tampa Tribune Newspaper. George’s life was tragically cut short on March 26, 1960 as he was hit and killed by a car racing at the Sebring 12 Hour Marathon while he was photographing the car race. Jo was left a widow at age 21 with a young 18-month old son John.

Jo continued to perform as a singer in clubs in the Tampa locale, but relocated to California with a friend and their sons early in 1962. As she was working and performing at the Paul Cummin’s Roaring 20’s Restaurant in Los Angeles, Royce Ralph Reynolds happened in to visit, fell in love at first sight with beautiful Jo swinging high above the bar, and wooed Jo into marriage on December 1, 1962. Their sons Royce Randal and Bryan James were born in 1966 and 1967 respectively.

Royce and Jo were long-time residents of Whittier, California, active in the Elks Club, Sunny Hills Racquet Club, and a group that called themselves the Ski-Mos, a fun-loving group of families that snow and water skied. Jo also was an active league bowler every Tuesday and Wednesday at Premiere Lanes in Santa Fe Springs, and an avid golfer in Palm Desert, where she and Royce lived in recent years. During the 1980s, Jo was a licensed manicurist for Creative Hair in Brea. She also functioned as an Administrative Assistant for her husband’s insurance business. But, most importantly, she was the ultimate caregiver for her husband, Royce, who died in January 2015 after a 14-year diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia.

Jo’s loves were her family and grandchildren who called her Nanny, good food that she prepared and shared as a talented cook with a wealth of good friends, a good book, and a good glass of scotch or wine. Even after her stroke, Jo would exclaim, “I love it!” to beautiful scenery, an ocean vista, pretty flowers, seeing a ladybug, or a happy moment. She will be greatly missed by her Bible Study Babes, a loving group of women from Yorba Linda Friends Church who welcomed and embraced her after her stroke.

Jo was preceded in death by her entire birth family save her younger sister, Shirley Poffinbarger Newton; her husband’s George Thompson and Royce Ralph Reynolds. She is survived by her three sons: John Thompson and his children, Ashley (and Kyle) Barnett, and Codeigh; Royce Randal (and Diane) Reynolds, Madeline and Royce Riley; Bryan James (and Laura) Reynolds, Ryan, Kevyn and Kyle.

Josephine will be buried at a private family ceremony at Riverside National Cemetery, next to her beloved husband, Royce, on Saturday August 15, 2020.