Dee A. "Pop" Reynders taught mechanical and architectural drawing at Union High School in Grand Rapids for forty years. When he was 18, his father died after a long illness, leaving the family nearly broke. The young man went to work in a printing shop, supported his mother and put his two younger sisters and a brother through college. He later earned a civil engineering degree at the University of Michigan. After being married for ten years, his wife died, leaving him with five children, 6 months to 9 years old which he raised on his own. The children were taught music lessons and Reynders organized them into a family band specializing in Gospel songs. He took them around to perform free at churches, hospitals, homes for the aged and other places. He retired as a teacher in 1953, but stayed on for several years as a substitute teacher, specializing in mechanical drawing. He spent part of his retirement as a volunteer sign maker for the Red Cross. He also served as a deacon, elder, sunday school teacher and superintendent of the sunday school at Central Christian Church. He lived to 90 years old. Up until a week before he died, he was playing pool, reading prodigiously, going to regular walks and, just to keep his mind busy, taking classes in decoupage.
Contributor: Efa Reinewald (50532794
Contributor: Efa Reinewald (50532794
Dee A. "Pop" Reynders taught mechanical and architectural drawing at Union High School in Grand Rapids for forty years. When he was 18, his father died after a long illness, leaving the family nearly broke. The young man went to work in a printing shop, supported his mother and put his two younger sisters and a brother through college. He later earned a civil engineering degree at the University of Michigan. After being married for ten years, his wife died, leaving him with five children, 6 months to 9 years old which he raised on his own. The children were taught music lessons and Reynders organized them into a family band specializing in Gospel songs. He took them around to perform free at churches, hospitals, homes for the aged and other places. He retired as a teacher in 1953, but stayed on for several years as a substitute teacher, specializing in mechanical drawing. He spent part of his retirement as a volunteer sign maker for the Red Cross. He also served as a deacon, elder, sunday school teacher and superintendent of the sunday school at Central Christian Church. He lived to 90 years old. Up until a week before he died, he was playing pool, reading prodigiously, going to regular walks and, just to keep his mind busy, taking classes in decoupage.
Contributor: Efa Reinewald (50532794
Contributor: Efa Reinewald (50532794
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