REXFORD MALO REYNOLDS

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Rexford Malo Reynolds. After a long life, he passed on March 27th, 2022. His life was guided by an endless pursuit of knowledge and the beauty of food, music, and friendships.

Rex was born on March 20th, 1942, in Ludlow, Massachusetts, to Rose Short Reynolds and Alden Cooley Reynolds. He was raised in a military family alongside his brother, Lorin Reynolds, and cousin, Merrill Corkum. The three boys enjoyed New England summers full of baseball and travel.

After graduating highschool from The Manlius School in Syracuse, NY, to pursue a military career, Rex decided to change direction and pursue a life of education. He graduated from Lycoming College and relocated to Guam, where he began a lengthy teaching career on island. Specializing in both the sciences and the arts, Rex guided hundreds of Guamanian students at both the high school and university levels.

It was on Guam where he met his wife, Annie Santos, M.D., and the pair began a 35-year adventure together, pursuing their individual careers around Guam, California, and settling down in Honolulu, Hawaii. Honolulu brought Rex another career change - law. He graduated from The University of Hawaii School of Law, even heading up the Law Review as the Editor-In-Chief. Their daughter, Adrienne, was born shortly thereafter.

The family finally settled after moving to Lodi, California, where Rex began his own Estate Law practice. This move allowed him to become deeply involved in the community and the arts in town. However, he minimized his practice in order to pursue his dream role - founding a children’s theatre company. Lodi Theatre for Youth was Rex’s true legacy. The numerous productions brought the youth of the community together. From his artful designs to his thoughtful direction, Rex was able to see his true love of the arts unfold on the stage.

Outside of practicing law and building theatre sets in his backyard, Rex loved to cook elaborate meals, play the ukelele or guitar into the evenings with friends, and recite Shakespeare to anyone who would listen. As a self-motivated learner, Rex enjoyed studying many different languages and cultures.

Rex retired later in life, and found time to enjoy long dormant hobbies. One would have been able to hear him playing the piano and singing Broadway standards, find him immersed in a good book at the library, or cooking for his tight-knit dinner club.

In addition to his parents and wife, Rex was predeceased by his cousin Merrill Corkum, Aunt Alice Corkum, and his brother, Lorin Reynolds. He is survived by his daughter, Adrienne Santos Reynolds.

There will be a celebration of life at Wine & Roses on Sunday, January 22nd, from 11:00am-3:00pm, at 2505 W. Turner Road in Lodi, California. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made to the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America (www.childrenstheatrefound ation.org.)

Please sign the guest book at www.lodinews.com/ guestbook.