Hilde E Reynolds

Hilde Emma Reinhardt Reynolds was born in Erzgrube, Germany on December 22, 1927. Hilde was raised by her mother Emma, and her father Johannes, a cabinet maker, along with brothers, Karl and Erich, and little sister, Elfriede in their small, rural village. She was led to the Lord there, at an early age, by her grandmother. Life there included a one room schoolhouse, a tiny evangelical Church, and farming. After World War II, Hilde found work as a nanny to the children of the community doctor, and later as the housekeeper to a family in Stuttgart. Since several of her mother’s relatives had emigrated to the United States in the previous generation, Hilde decided her best future would also be across the Atlantic, and in 1958, she booked passage, by herself, to New York, and then on to stay with her Aunt and Uncle in Massachusetts. Soon after, she traveled to Orlando, to stay with her Aunt Lena. Here she foundthe place she loved and would stay for the next sixty years. She never understood why anyone would choose to live where it snowed.

Hilde brought daughter, Sybil into the world in 1961, in a time that was not kind to single mothers and yet was able to raise her to love the Lord and others. She had that child dedicated in this very church. She cared intensely for others and often went out of her way to give a ride, a loan, a meal, or just a good word. Hilde had the habit of adopting old ladies for Sunday supper, there were many widows who wore a kitchen apron for a bib at her table on Sundays after church. Later, it was the Hughey’s turn for her Sunday meals. If she knew you, you had her cookies at Christmas. If your car broke down, she took you to work. If you were in the hospital, she visited you. If you waited on her at a restaurant, your tip included a salvation tract. If your child was selling a school fundraiser, she was your customer.

Hilde married Raymond Reynolds in 1971, and the two made a comfortable home together. She worked as a waitress, a cookie baker, and later at SeaWorld. She taught us about hard work, perseverance, and sacrifice. In retirement, she and Ray shared a love of gardening and took time to display the flowers growing around the house. Hilde loved to knit and crochet; some of that handiwork is still scattered around this sanctuary. There was always cake and coffee. She made room for German relatives to visit and was thrilled at every opportunity to host them and catch up on news from home.

Hilde loved America, and all things American. She had a passion for the Minnesota Twins and the Miami Dolphins, and because she waited tables in downtown Orlando hotels, she was proud to say that she met, among others, Walt Disney, President Lyndon Johnson, and Larry Czonka. One of her proudest moments came in April of 1983, when she became a U.S.citizen. She followed politics with a passion and cast her vote in every election since then.

Hilde was able to make many visits back to her homeland and never failed to display her love of German culture, especially in her cooking. She was the centerpiece of her family, an example to us all. In her last years, her eyes failed, but not her love for Bible reading, which she did in strong light with a magnifying glass. But her greatest strength, in those days, was as a prayer warrior. You might have thought she was napping, but more often, she was asking the Lord about a need for someone. At the last, she prayed for her newest great grandchild, Eli, to come from California to meet her, and the Lord was gracious to answer that request. The legacy of her testimony for God, her service to her community, and love for her family will not be forgotten.