Margaret Ann Reynolds

Margaret Ann Reynolds, 85, resident of Cocoa Beach, FL, passed away July 9, 2017 after a long illness with Alzheimer’s. She was born April 7, 1932 to the late Ernest and Althea Mae Kesterson of Knoxville, TN.

After graduating from Tennessee Weslyan College in Athens, TN she attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She auditioned and won the prestigious Grace Moore Scholarship which awarded her a full scholarship to UT, Knoxville. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Music, she moved to New York City to study with a private music teacher preparing her for a career as an Opera singer.

While vacationing in Cocoa Beach visiting college friends she was offered a position as a music teacher at what was known at the time as Cocoa Beach Elementary. She met her future husband, Bud, and they married June 10, 1961 at the First United Methodist Church of Cocoa Beach.

Her passions were music and philanthropy. When she first moved to Florida, she became a member of the Opera Guild of Brevard. She was also a sister with the philanthropic organization Epsilon Sigma Alpha (ESA), Alpha Nu chapter for over 30 years. She enthusiastically moved with her husband as his job as an Aerospace Engineer assigned him at locations all over the US. She has lived in Santa Maria, CA, Reston, VA, Knoxville, TN, Huntsville, AL. She and her husband also lived in Turin, Italy for three years which afforded them the ability to travel all over Europe. While living in all of these locations she continued to be active in music by singing in church choirs, choral groups and singing solos.

She is survived by her husband, Emmitt A. “Bud” Reynolds, three children and six grandchildren, Jeff Reynolds (Tommy & Chloe), Greg Reynolds (Hannah & Melissa) and Julie and Jim Deal (Rudy & Louis), her sister Doris Kay Hackett (David) and her brother James Kesterson (Carol). She will be deeply missed by her family and many friends.

Memorial Services will be at Grace United Methodist Church, 65 Needle Blvd, Merritt Island on Thursday, July 13 at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and/or VITAS Hospice Care.