East Meadow teacher John Reynolds, 84

John Reynolds, an East Meadow teacher whose devotion to students inspired his six children to become teachers, died Jan. 30 in Port St. Lucie, Fla., after battling Alzheimer's disease. He was 84.

As a sixth-grade teacher, Reynolds always stressed the importance of education, especially to his children.

"Education was a big part of our lives," said Reynolds' son Tom Reynolds, 46, of Massapequa. "We saw the joy and rewards he and my mom got from teaching."

Reynolds taught sixth grade in the East Meadow School District for 32 years. He met his wife, Theresa, 79, who was also a teacher, at a school function in 1957. They married in 1958 and settled in East Meadow.

"He was a great role model, lived by example and lived the golden rule," said son John Reynolds Jr., 42, of East Meadow. "This is how he continued to teach so many, even when he was not in the classroom."

Danielle Casamassina, 44, a former student of Reynolds' and now a high school business teacher in East Meadow, said he was always one of her favorite teachers. "He inspired us to always be the best possible person we could be," she said. "He was funny and always considerate of how we felt."

Casamassina said Reynolds was "always interested in getting us involved," and would organize games during recess. "He never let anyone sit out by themselves," she said. "It was really important to him that we were together and involved."

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Reynolds was born in Montreal. At 14, he moved to the United States by himself and studied to become a teacher at the Brothers of Sacred Heart seminary in Metuchen, N.J. After teaching at several parochial schools in Mississippi and Alabama, Reynolds moved to New York and taught at Coindre Hall, a private school in Huntington, before moving to East Meadow, according to his children.

Reynolds retired in 1989 and moved to Port St. Lucie.

"He was a kind and generous man. He always did all he could to keep our family happy," Tom Reynolds said. "He was always trying to keep our family close and keep us together."

Reynolds also had been an active member of St. Raphael's Parish and the Knights of Columbus in East Meadow.

In addition to his wife and sons, Reynolds is survived by daughters Jean Reynolds, 52, of Orlando; Theresa Weaver, 50, of Daytona Beach, Fla.; Cathy Reynolds, 48, of Wellington, Fla., and Patti Reynolds, 44, of upstate Saranac Lake. He also is survived by 12 grandchildren.

Reynolds was cremated and a memorial service will be held Saturday at 9 a.m. at St. Raphael Parish in East Meadow.