George Loren Reynolds

MISSOULA ~ George was born in Sandpoint, Idaho on August 20, 1930, to Stephen Ray Reynolds and Edna Boles Reynolds. He was the 15th of 16 children. Three of those children died as infants and 13 lived to marry and have children. George passed from this life on July 21, 2025, after a short illness while at home surrounded by his loving family.

At 12 years old, George graduated from 8th grade and went to work full-time to help support his family. His first job was cutting trees for posts. Over the years his job evolved to being a logger and driving a logging truck in Idaho and Montana. In December of 1950, George was working as a logger with his brother, Murray, in Hot Springs, Montana. There he met the love of his life, Frances Sanders. They were married on June 30, 1951, in Hot Springs. They made their home there and in 1951, their son, Steven Ray Reynolds, was born. In 1953, the family moved to Priest River, Idaho where George was offered a construction job. That following winter he drove logging trucks with his brothers, Jim and Harold. In 1955, their daughter, Nancy Ellen, was born in Sandpoint, Idaho. In 1956, they moved back to Montana, pulling a little trailer with their Studebaker to various small towns in western Montana where he drove logging trucks. They moved to Missoula in 1957 where he continued to work construction in the summer and drove logging trucks in the winter. In 1962, George began construction work full-time and then became a crane operator with Pew Construction. He was always proud to say he helped build several of the buildings on the University of Montana Campus, he tore down the old Saint Pat’s hospital, built bridges along Interstate 90 when the freeway went in, and his final job, building Frenchtown High School.

During the early years in Montana, George also bought several empty lots around Missoula. He bought houses that had to be relocated due to the new interstate, and moved them to his properties. He and his family remodeled the houses and he rented them out. He eventually had enough rental properties to support the family, so he retired from his construction job at the age of 42. During his retirement years, he kept busy buying and selling horses and cars, in addition to managing rental properties. After the horses started taking a toll on his body, he started a hobby of buying wrecked cars and restoring them in his garage and reselling them. He was always looking for a way to turn a profit!

George and Frances were baptized at the Missoula Church of Christ in September 1958 and have continued as faithful members and supporters of the church. In the early 1980’s, George helped build the new building for the church on Higgins Avenue. Pew Construction allowed him to operate one of their cranes to put up the building.

George is survived by his loving wife of 74 years, Frances, his son Steven and his wife, Jan, of Trumann, Arkansas, his daughter Nancy and her husband, Joe Tredik, of Missoula. He is also survived by his grandson Jacob Reynolds his wife Diana and their son Emilio, of Tampa Florida; granddaughter Megan Reynolds and her son Xander Reynolds of Ward, Arkansas; and grandson Joseph Tredik of Missoula.

George was proceeded in death by his parents, all of his siblings and their spouses, and his beloved grandson Loren Tredik.

George will be laid to rest at Sunset Memorial Gardens by his grandson, Loren, with a private family graveside service. A Memorial Service for all his friends and family will be Saturday, July 26th at 2:00 at the Missoula Church of Christ, 1528 South Higgins Avenue. A reception will follow in the fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Missoula Children’s Homes.

The family would also like to extend a special thank you to the members of the Church of Christ for all their support and to Trek Health for their compassionate Hospice care during the last weeks of George’s life.

Arrangements are under the care of Sunset Memorial Funeral Home and Crematory in Missoula.