- Date Of Birth: September 2, 1935
- Date Of Death: September 20, 2013
- State: Connecticut
James W. Reynolds, 78, businessman and long-time member of New Milford civic life, died at Danbury Hospital on Friday September 20th after a long illness. He was surrounded by his loving family; wife Cathy, sons Stephen and Patrick, and granddaughter Jacqueline Reynolds-Drumm. A life-long resident of New Milford, Reynolds had a colorful and active career in the community. After graduating New Milford High School in 1953, he fought as a semi-pro light heavyweight boxer throughout the 1950s and also drove for years as a member of the Southern New York Racing Association in the popular Saturday night stock car races at the Danbury State Fairgrounds. Upon his marriage to Catherine Tynan MacCarthy of Washington in 1959, Reynolds joined his father Harold in the family business, the Reynolds Package Store in New Milford. Jim and Cathy founded Colonial Wines and Liquors in the 1970s. After selling the businesses, Reynolds worked in various local construction concerns including Peckham Materials and the paving company he founded, Diamond Asphalt. Jim had a long career in civic activities. In the 1960s he was chairman of the New Milford Jaycees and first worked to create a permanent full time Police Department. In 1961 he began a lifelong association with the Water Witch Hose Volunteer Fire Dept. and was active throughout his life in various political posts. In 1965 he was the Democratic nominee for First Selectman in New Milford, and served in the 1970s as Second Selectman under Louis White. He was subsequently a member of the New Milford Town Council, Sewer Commission, and the New Milford Police Commission from the 1970s into the 1990s. He is survived by his wife, Catherine, son Stephen and spouse Hilary Sterne of New York City, son Patrick and wife Michelle Crawford Reynolds, of Mooresville, NC. He was pre-deceased by a daughter, Erin, of West Hartford. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Tynan Chase Reynolds, Jacqueline Reynolds-Drumm, and Alexandra Caplan of New York, and Colleen Reynolds and Sean Holly of Mooresville. He is also survived by two sisters, Mary Osborne and her husband Robert, Susan Sensenbrenner and husband Tom; a nephew, Michael Sensenbrenner; a niece, Robyn Osborne Hughes, her husband Brian, and their son, Kevin Charles, and many area relations.
