Santa Clarita Community Remembers Veteran Advocate Bill Reynolds

The Santa Clarita community is remembering veteran advocate Bill Reynolds this Veteran’s Day after his passing earlier this year.

Reynolds, a Santa Clarita advocate for local veterans, is being remembered for his contributions in time for Veteran’s Day after passing away on Jan. 11, 2021.

“Bill can never be replaced, he can only be emulated,” said Santa Clarita veteran Max Morgan. “I will miss him deeply.”

See Related: Santa Clarita Community Remembers Veteran Historian Bill Reynolds

Reynolds was drafted into the military in the 1960s and served in the 9th infantry division in Vietnam, eventually earning the bronze star and the purple heart, according to former Santa Clarita City Councilman Bob Kellar.

“I would describe him, without question, as one of the greatest Americans I have ever known,” Kellar said.

Reynolds is known for his work in advocating for veterans’ issues in Santa Clarita, a pursuit to which he dedicated himself after retiring from a 28-year career at Lockheed’s Skunkworks Company.

He was KHTS Radio’s Director of Veterans Affairs from June 2019 up until his passing, interviewing local veterans and writing articles about them.

“Bill Reynolds was a class act, he was so passionate about veterans and I loved hearing his own stories about serving in the military,” said KHTS Co-Owner Carl Goldman in a previous KHTS article. “He cared so much about Santa Clarita and is definitely an asset our community had that will be sorely, sorely missed.”

Reynolds also served as president of the Santa Clarita Valley Veterans’ Memorial Committee, according to Kellar. He helped establish a memorial wall at the Veterans’ Plaza in Newhall.

The Vietnam veteran was the first ambassador for the Greatest Generations Foundation, a charity which helps veterans visit their former battlefields.

“I was one of those veterans that Bill helped when Bill took me back to Vietnam in 2017,” Morgan said.

Reynolds made an impact on many other members of the Santa Clarita community as well.

“Bill loved our veterans because he understood what it meant to truly serve, and he understood what it meant to truly sacrifice. In his own words, he said, ‘America was founded on the courage to fight for freedom, and that’s what the veteran community does. They take pride in that, there’s no better family than the veteran community,” said Congressman Mike Garcia during Reynold’s memorial ceremony in February.

Roy Burns grew up with Reynolds and was a lifelong friend of the advocate.

“I had no indication that he might pass away, and it just broke my heart,” said Roy Burns, who grew up with Reynolds. “I attended his funeral, as did many veterans, and watching my lifelong friend being laid to rest was extremely difficult.”

Santa Clarita Vietnam veteran Bob Good described his relationship with Reynolds as a “brotherhood” stemming from their experiences as combat veterans.

“I love my good buddy, and I miss him every day,” Good said. “I thank him for everything he did for our community.”

The Santa Clarita City Council voted to install a plaque bearing Reynolds’ name at the Santa Clarita Veterans Historical Plaza in Newhall on Thursday as a part of the 2021 Veterans Day Celebration.

The Santa Clarita Veterans Day Celebration is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11 at the Veterans Historical Plaza at 24275 Walnut Street.

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