It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our dearly beloved mother, Susan Burke Haley Reynolds, of Leesburg, FL, who passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on April 11th at the age of 86, after a long battle with cancer. Born on February 10th, 1939 in Louisville, Kentucky to William D. and Bonnie Haley, she grew up in Owensboro, Kentucky and Kansas City, Kansas. She was a dedicated and loving wife to her husband Samuel, and a devoted mother to her children David and Ileigh.
Susan led a deeply fulfilling life and was a woman of many gifts, sharing them with all. She had a strong personal relationship with Jesus and an unwavering Christian faith, having been a member of Disciples of Christ churches in Owensboro, Miami, Orlando, and Wildwood, Florida. Her passions included teaching pre-school, quilting and needlepoint, singing in the church choir and with Friends-In-A-Chord, morning walks on the beach, and traveling the world with her family and friends. Inheriting a love of languages from her father, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Foreign Languages from the University of Kentucky. She was a long-time employee of Walt Disney World in Orlando, assisting guests with her grace and charm and using her artistry to personalize gifts at the Christmas Chalet.
She is survived by her husband, Samuel Wayne Reynolds, her children, David Wayne Reynolds, of Denver, Colorado, and Ileigh Laura Reynolds, of Gainesville, Florida, her sister, Marcia Haley Goetz, her brother-in-law, William Lawrence Goetz, her “adoptive” children Sonia James Upton and Leigh Anne Tomaino, and her “adoptive” grandson Jason Alan James, who all miss her dearly.
A celebration of her life will take place at 11:00 AM EDT Saturday, April 19th at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 6900 Warm Springs Ave., Wildwood, FL 34785. A graveside service will take place at 11:00 AM CDT Saturday, April 26th at Rosehill Cemetery, 1300 Old Hartford Rd., Owensboro, KY 42303.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to any of the following charities: the G.I.S.T. Cancer Research Fund, (gistinfo.org), the Christian Appalachian Project (ChristianApp.org), and the John C. Campbell Folk School (folkschool.org).