John Arvine Reynolds was born in Arcadia General Hospital on February 17, 1937, to his parents Ruby Helen Gault and Sam Q. Reynolds. John passed away on October 23, 2022. He moved with his family to their Wood Street homestead before he attended Nocatee Elementary School, built in 1915, where his mother taught. His father also a teacher and later a bookkeeper for the Seaboard Airline Railway served as lay preacher at Nocatee Methodist Church. John's grandparents, John Angus Reynolds and Mary Catherine Mullins Reynolds helped found that church in 1890.

After graduating from DeSoto High, John earned his AA from Manatee Junior College in 1963, a BA in interdisciplinary natural sciences, and MA in adult education from the University of South Florida in 1969. Dr. Clayton E. Ray, Florida State Museum's Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology (now Florida Museum of Natural History) viewed John's fossil collections. When Ray worked at the Smithsonian, he hired John to serve as paleontologist on projects in Mexico and Saltville, Virginia. The fossil sand dollars ("Melita alcinensis") John discovered in Acline, Florida, are the Smithsonian's "type and paratype" specimens.

A certified Florida Master Naturalist, John grew native plants in his nursery and was an expert on how pioneers used them. His phenomenal knowledge of natural history made him a gifted teacher and natural history presenter. He taught in the county schools and wrote the grant that established the Environmental Learning Lab (ELL) aka the "Outdoor Classroom." He also assisted other counties in founding ELLs.

In 2001, he met his wife, Forest Dunbar, who assisted Dr. Gary Parker and his wife Mary in establishing the Creation Adventure Museum. In 1975, he convinced Louie Morgan to donate Morgan Park to the County. A longtime member of the DeSoto County Historical Society, he served as president from 1996 to 2006, and in 2001, accepted the donation of the John Morgan Ingraham House from Marguerite and Tom Hankins.

He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Jeanette F. Dunbar Reynolds. He was preceded in death by his siblings, Samuel Quinn Reynolds Jr. and June Elise Reynolds Fulton

A graveside service will be held on Thursday October 27, 2022, at 11:00AM at Joshua Creek Cemetery. Rev. Dana Spurgeon will be officiating.

Online condolences may be made at: www.pongerkaysgrady.com

Ponger-Kays-Grady Funeral Homes Arcadia have been entrusted with the arrangements.