Arthur Preston Rynearson

During his 38 year career at Carrier International, Arthur traveled more than 1,000,000 miles while on business trips to destinations in 5 continents, making many lifelong friendships. He was especially familiar with Latin America as he lived in Colombia and Venezuela for a total of 9 years and spoke Spanish fluently as a second language. While in Colombia, much of his work designing and installing refrigeration and air conditioning systems aided the Colombian military effort during World War II. After returning to the United States, he held several executive positions at Carrier International, the last being Vice President and Assistant to the President. He retired on March 1, 1978.

Born and raised in Flemington, New Jersey, the eldest of 3 children of Alvin and Stella Rynearson, Arthur was active in the children's choir and concert band and played on his high school's basketball team. He began his career as an electrician on the Pennsylvania Railroad before taking training as an air conditioning engineer at New York University's Evening Division.

Arthur could trace his family's roots to the Dutch colony in New York, circa 1650, and made the study of the family genealogy his passion for the first 20 years of his retirement. In 1997, with Peter M. Rinearson, he published "A Genealogy of the Reyniersen Family", a comprehensive book on the family, and added an "Addendum" volume in 2005.

Art, as he liked to be called, was an avid sports fan and fisherman. His hobbies were genealogy, photography, and collecting railroad memorabilia. He was a firm believer in the value to the United States of high-speed rail.

He is predeceased by his wife of 62 years, Kathryn L. Rynearson, in 2008, and by his sisters Elizabeth Jane Rozzo in 2014 and Beatrice Eleanor Bush in 2016.

He is survived by his son, Arthur John Rynearson, and daughter-in-law, Mary Linda Rynearson, of Arlington, VA and by 2 nephews and 4 nieces as follows: Richard Bush of Forksville, PA; Lynda Staley of Port Charlotte, FL; Lisa Rozzo of Williamstown, NJ; Jeffrey Kehr of Souderton, PA; Joan Labosh of Harleysville, PA; and Linda Wiernusz of Collegeville, PA.

In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Westminster Ingleside Foundation, specifically designated for the Westminster at Lake Ridge Resident Supporting Fund and mailed to 2275 Research Boulevard, Suite 450, Rockville, MD 20850.