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ANDREW BUCHANAN REYNOLDS

June 29, 1939 – February 7, 2021

Andrew (Andy) Reynolds passed away on Sunday, February 7 after a 14 month battle with cancer.  Andy grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina as the only child of Florence and Andrew Reynolds, both deceased. 

Following high school graduation, Andy went to college in Lincoln University, an HBCU in PA.  He returned to Winston-Salem to participate in the early civil rights movement, being an observer at the first sit-ins in Greeneville, NC.  After public involvement in the civil rights movement and leadership in the Congress  on Racial Equality, he was drafted into the US Army and spent the next two years at Fort Lewis in Washington.  His assignment was in the medical corps.

Following discharge from the Army, Andy returned to NC where he helped establish the Advancement School, a private school aimed at serving low income youth of color.  Shortly after beginning some experimental educational ideas he was transferred to Philadelphia to work in education.  In 1965 Andy attended the first class of the Columbia Journalism School program designed to recruit people of color into journalism.  His first assignment was in Philadelphia where KING5 TV recruited him to come to Seattle.

After leaving television, Andy worked for the Seattle Opportunity Industrialization Center, and Seattle Parks Department.  In 1982 he joined his wife, Donna Stringer, Linda Taylor and Elmer Dixon as business partners in Executive Diversity Services, a diversity consulting business where he worked until retiring in 2008.

In his four plus decades in Seattle Andy was dedicated to the community, serving on the boards of the UW EOP program, NW Aids Foundation, the Washington Lottery Commission, and the Seattle-Limbe Sister City Association.  Andy was in the first class of Seattle’s Leadership Tomorrow and helped establish the LT newsletter.  He served as President of the Mount Baker Community Center for three years and  as President of the Society for Intercultural Education Training and Research for two years.  He was the recipient of numerous  leadership awards.

Andy is survived by Donna Stringer, his wife and partner of 39 years, stepsons Scott (Tomoko) Moore, Mark (Barbara) Moore, David Moore, and Sebastian Benbow.  He leaves five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Memorial services will be scheduled for the spring or summer of 2021.  The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations can be given to commonpower.orgrainierscholars.org, or socialjusticefund.org


Comments

Andy, we will miss you immensely in this world. Bless you for all the social equity and justice work that you dedicated your life to. Thank you for your friendship and your mentorship, the marvelous meals at your table, the laughter and hugs. I am grateful for our shared photography passion, and our shared love for Donna. I can imagine the loss she feels now without your physical presence. Rest well and know you are loved deeply, truly, by so many. You lived fully and oh so well, an example for us all. Donna, we love you. You rock. I am here whenever you need/desire.
 
Dianne Hofner Saphiere


andy, you have transitioned to the next world, but your legacy will live on. your kindness, generosity, humor, compassion and passion will shape us and our kids and their kids. rest in power.
 
cindy ogasawara, mike delaney, theo + reese


Dear Andy, it is with great sadness that I learned the news of your passing. It was a privilege to have met you, a kind gentleman, always ready to serve, and always adorning a great smile. We served together at the SLSCA Board. Even when the doctor told you the sad news of less time left, you still attended meetings, and eager to help. That is who you are.

We will miss you dearly Andy! I pray the Lord God to welcome you to eternal rest in the Kingdom. I ask the Holy Spirit to console your grieving family (Donna and kids), all your friends, including me.

Rest in eternal peace, my brother Andy!
 
DIEUDONNE MAYI


Being with you on our pilgrimage together and in Common Power and our P4 group has been one of the honors of my life, Andy. And I’ll miss your cooking!
 
Alan Schulkin


What an enormous loss for us to have to say goodbye; what a tremendous blessing to have known Andy. Thank you for the introductory spark to intercultural communication and Social Justice, it will not be forgotten. xoxo
 
Kelli Fritsche


Andy, from the first day we learned of this dreadful disease that would eventually take your physical body, I knew that you would fight your hardest to beat it. Then I could see you make peace with it. You exemplified courage determination, integrity, and grace not only in this battle but with other battles you faced. I will miss your delicious meals that you prepared with such attention to every ingredient and step in the preparation, always with the intention of pleasing your fortunate guests . I will miss the great conversations that typically helped me look at various issues in different ways. I will miss your warm friendship and, most of all, your papa bear hugs. Know that we'll look out after your beloved Donna, carry on at least some of your work, and never forget you. In that way, your spirit will live forever my friend. Rest in power and peace.
 
Cleo


Our dear, sweet, Andy. I can still hear your deep, distinct and beautiful voice in my head. I always loved it's tone; the way you posed a question that illuminated another way to see things and brought a new and useful awareness to our conversations. I'll miss singing and dancing with you but the memory will always make me smile. You and Donna have always been a treasured gift in our lives and we will continue to be blessed by the ways you have enriched us. We are forever grateful for your love, strength, joy and kindness. Rest in peace gentle, soaring soul!

 

Deina Duval


I meet Andy back in the 80's when my mother Miriam Walsh Lisco had created the logo for Executive Diversity Services . When I started working for her in 1994, I had the pleasure of working with him and his wife Donna. I am so sorry that I had not seen him in a while and to hear he passed was so sad. I feel very lucky to have known him. He will be missed.
 
Lisa Lisco


Andy, Big Papa, Mr President, the SIETAR world will not be the same without you. You completed us with your gentle but determined touch of social justice. We now must pay it forward and continue the work with you watching over us and of course with the help of the angel you prepared to carry on the work: the lovely Donna Stringer.

Donna, my heart as always is with you. Far from sight but so so close from my love for you both.

Stay strong Donna while Andy, you R.I.P

In healing love,

Patricia Malidor Coleman SIETAR USA former President Colleague, Friend and Admirer.


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