Billy Duard Reynolds, 74, of Bowling Green passed away on Tuesday, August 31, 2021 at Greenview Regional Hospital. The Cave City, KY native was the son of the late Mary Maxine Worthington Reynolds and Marion Duard Reynolds. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his brother, Bobby Marion Reynolds.

Bill was a retired banker and a member of First Baptist Church.  But he was so much more than that.  He was a husband, who had just celebrated 55 years of marriage to Della on August 20, 2021.  Bill and Della were best friends who traveled the world together, including a trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji to celebrate their 50 ^th anniversary and a more recent trip to Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales.  Since his retirement in 2009, they spent as many winters as possible in warm weather, usually Marco Island.  They have been to all 50 states together, driving cross-country three times, with detours to Luckenbach, Texas and a corner in Winslow, Arizona. When at home, he spent his days watching Westerns – all day every day.

He was a father who coached his sons from T-ball through Little League at Pedigo Park and, after that, he followed them to every school event that he could make and high school soccer and baseball games all over the state. He taught them humility and respect and to never feel entitled to anything. He also passed along to them his love of music and westerns.  And he loved and was proud of their friends, many of whom thought of him as a second dad and liked to call him Duard.  And he taught them how to cuss.  Their friends too.

Papa Bill was a grandfather, and he always took his grandkids on adventures, and there was never a dull moment when they were together. He spoiled them, as he should.  He watched their games from T-ball through Little League, too.  He tried to never miss an event or a soccer or lacrosse game or a golf match, and he braved swim meets with a smile.  He taught them how to play poker. Pretty sure he taught them to cuss too.

He worked in the banking business for 43 years, starting at 19 years old as a teller at Citizens National Bank in 1966.  He stayed there as a retail loan officer as it transitioned to Trans Financial Bank/FirstStar/Star Banc.  He then moved on to help open Monticello Bank and then Citizens First Bank, where he retired in 2009. He gave himself the nickname "Roger Retail" – even had a T-shirt – and he would often say, dripping with sarcasm, that "Lending is my life."  It wasn't.  But, he was good at it because he understood that relationships were the key.  He made loans based on trust, and he gave people chances, and, for that, he had a loyal following of customers no matter where he worked.  Starting around 2004, he could also tell you on any given day the exact number of days, hours and minutes until his retirement.

But more than a banker, a son, a husband, a dad, a second dad or a grandfather, he was a tremendous human being with a big heart and a great sense of humor.  He loved life, and he squeezed every second that he could out of it.  And, he made people laugh.  He will be missed.

He is survived by his wife, Della Jean Renfro Reynolds, of Bowling Green; two sons, Brett A. Reynolds (Gwen), of Bowling Green and Brian K. Reynolds (Allyson), of Danville, KY; four grandchildren, Will Reynolds and Cooper Reynolds, of Bowling Green and Ben Reynolds and Lexi Reynolds, of Danville, KY.

Memorial Services will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at Johnson Vaughn Phelps Funeral Home with burial to follow in Fairview Cemetery. Visitation will be on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 from 4:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. and on Wednesday from 9:00 A.M. until service time at the funeral home.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of memorial contributions to the Playing for Mason Foundation (www.playingformason.com) and Hospice of Southern Kentucky.