After a lifetime of preserving Alberta's agricultural and industrial history, Stanley Reynolds passed away in hospital in Edmonton on February 9, 2012, at the age of 88.
Reynolds was devoted to collecting, and in turn, preserving Alberta's heritage through aviation, industrial and agricultural artifacts.
After working in his father's garage growing up, Reynolds joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942 – and eventually served in Great Britain as part of a night-fighter squadron.
Three years after joining, he was discharged and returned to his birthplace, Wetaskiwin.
He started selling used cars, and eventually started to collect antique cars – and eventually expanded his collection to include tractors, steam engines and airplanes.
By the mid-1950s, he had collected enough items to open a private museum, the Reynolds Museum, to put them on display.
In an obituary on the Reynolds-Alberta Museum's website, it says Reynolds approached the province in 1974 with an idea to develop a new museum – which would one day be named after his family to honour his contributions to the museum.
Reynolds been recognized for his contributions with the Order of Canada, with the Alberta Order of Excellence and his induction in 2009 as a member of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame.
The Director of the Reynolds-Alberta Museum told CTV News Reynolds had been suffering from declining health in recent years.
A formal memorial service is being planned for the spring.
