Francis M. Reynolds

Portsmouth, RI - Francis ?Franny? Martin Reynolds, 54, of 55 Riverside Street, Portsmouth, RI, died suddenly on Tuesday, May 16, 2006, at Charlton Memorial Hospital, Fall River, MA. He was the loving husband of Kathleen Grant Reynolds for the last 22 years.Born in Newport, RI, on April 9, 1952, he was the son of Annette LaRiviere Reynolds of Newport and the late Thomas Joseph Reynolds.He is survived by his twin brother Thomas J. Reynolds and wife Cindy of Los Osos, CA, Paul T. Reynolds and wife Myra of Southington, CT, Gerald S. Reynolds and wife Kim of Norwell, MA, his sister Joanne Souza and husband Alan of Portsmouth, RI. He was also the brother of the late James B. Reynolds.Inlaw relations that survive him are Roland Grant and wife Linda, Billy Grant and wife Michelle, Sharon Gagne, Nancy Wood and husband WarrenChip, Rick Grant and wife Arlene, along with many loving nieces and nephews Jason, Dawn, Ty, Jessica, Crystal, Megan, Nicki, Kyle D., Chad, Lesly, Kiera, Grant, Adam, Catherine, Michelle, Brian, Rory J., Haylie O., Kyle S., Keith, Michael, Brooke, Paige and Hayley.He also leaves behind his beloved dog ?Misty? and his two cats Heidi? and ?Kitty.? ?Franny? was employed as a painter for L.F. Clavin of Warwick and was a member of Painters Union Local 195 of RI. He was an avid fisherman and loved boating and billards, and was active in a local billards league. Fran was a professional tradesman, capable of fixing anything, and was fondly known as a ?Jack of all Trades? to his family and friends.His funeral will be held on Monday, May 22 at 9:00am from the Memorial Funeral Home 375 Broadway, Newport followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. in St. Josephs Church, Broadway and Mann Avenue, Newport. Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery Middletown.Calling hours will be held on Sunday, May 21 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport.Memorial donations may be made in his name to American Heart Association, 222 Richmond Street, Suite 200, Providence, RI 02903 or the Robert Potter League, 87 Oliphant Lane, Middletown, RI 02842.The story begins April 9th, 1952 on Mann Avenue in Newport?.. Franny and Tommy were born. It was four days before our parent?s 4th wedding anniversary.A short time later my parents moved the family, now four boys to Tonomy Hill where dad put a four foot chicken wire fence around the yard to secure us from wandering. From there we moved to Glenn Farm in Portsmouth??. It was the place we played. The famous location was the ?dirt spot? where Franny and Tommy spent days playing with trucks and digging in the dirt. The younger five year old twins got in some trouble because they cared for animals. They let a bull out of its pen and let a field of cows loose. The two scrambled up a tree and called for mom?s help. The state police came and brought them home. Franny and Tommy thought they were arrested. At the end of a summer, we all climbed on the wagons piled high with hay bails. Franny and I would get poison ivy rashes every year. My parents drove us around to see the results of the hurricane of 1954.Curry Avenue was our next destination where Franny went to ?Sheffield School? then ?John Clarke School? then ?Thompson Junior High? and lastly to ?Rogers High School.? Franny began to blossom. Tommy and Franny went to tap-dance school and Franny wasn?t bad at dancing. In his early teens he got an electric guitar for Christmas. He enjoyed that very much. At age seventeen he was in a very bad car accident in which he lost his best friend. He was sad for a long time because of it. After a while he became impatient with school and went off on his own to work as a mechanic and at other similar jobs that interested him. Fran became a Ford certified mechanic working for Saccucci Motors. From there he applied to be a painter on the Newport Bridge and got the job. It was advancement in money and benefits. He moved to an apartment with friends over ?Broadway Market? and then returned to Mann Avenue for a while. This is the time when he realized his gift for the trades. He extended himself to fix most anything and began to fish and hunt more regularly. All his friends and relatives were supplied with fish and dear meat when ever he returned.His mom called upon him every year to take care of the tedious task of hanging the Christmas lights. He faithfully did it along with many of the other tasks she needed him to do. Some where in this hectic time he met the ?love of his life? Kathe Grant.?He secured a good job as a foreman in Virginia and they were married on November 27, 1983 in Newport. They left for Virginia and within a year decided that they would be happier living in New England near family. So they moved to an apartment on Mann Avenue. Kathe and Franny moved to Hall Avenue, Coventry RI, Summerset MA, Harrison Avenue and settled on Easton Terrance in Middletown for next 16 years. These moves were to be near work and let them keep the dogs and cats they loved so much. Franny stopped hunting and stuck to fishing??. He loved animals and fishing very much and could no longer hunt the deer. Francis was a painter by trade. When he painted lighthouses or anything near water he would bring his fishing poles so he could fish between brush strokes.Kathe named him the ?cook-out-king? and the ?bass king.? He cooked out as often as he could. Fran was fascinated with a grill that could cook an entire turkey. He gave it his best try but never could really master it. The game of pool became the new adventure for Kathe and Franny where they traveled together. Fran won tournaments with Kathe being his cheerleader. His team was voted the ?most fun team to be with? and had to drink cheap champagne out of the ?Loving Cup???. This leaked on Franny and Kathe when they drank from it. Francis had a fun sense of humor. On Connell Highway there is the sewerage treatment plant that could produce a fragrant atmosphere. Down the street from it was a hotel called the ?Journey?s End.? Fran told Kathe may be they could stay there and get a room with a Phew.In May 2003 he had a heart valve replaced with what he thought was a pig valve. So whenever he over-ate Fran would explain?. Oh it?s just the pig in me. I visited him in the hospital right after surgery and asked if he was going to have some time for recuperation. He replied; well Paul tomorrow I am going to see ?Doctor Summer-off? about that. There are many other jokes and stories that Kathe will keep in her heart. He loved the ocean and to have a boat was a goal in his life. So he and Kathe bought a boat ?. Named the ?Poop Deck.? It will always bring a smile to our faces when we think of the name of his boat. Six months ago Kathe and Franny bought a home at 55 Riverside Drive, Island Park Portsmouth. They were very happy. When we visited Kathe and Fran it was a busy home of changes. They were putting in a new bathroom and Fran putting up a new shed in the backyard. We all made plans for summer fun at Franny and Kathe?s house. That suddenly ended. My brother was a creative, sensitive, thoughtful person that had a high quality life. He always gave of himself to help others. No matter what??. he found a way to help. We can thank his mom and dad, and his loving wife Kathe for that. As humans we judge life by a picture of grey hair and the attainment of old age. God views a fulfilled life by the quality of a person?s soul. He must have found Francis pleasing at this time and found it alright for him to pass on to a new life. A eulogy is to give you a message about a person?s life and how we want that person remembered.To close I will read my mother?s favorite poem in this situation and it is the one Kathe chose for the prayer cards. It is the way I want you to remember my brother.Indian PrayerDo not stand at my grave and weep.I am not there. I do not sleep.I am a thousand winds that blow,I am the diamond glint on snow.I am the sunlight on ripened grain, I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awake in the morning hush, I am the swift uplifting rushOf quiet birds in circling flight.I am the soft starlight at night.Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there. I did not die.Thank you.