Lynette Sue Mcreynolds.....Age 63

Lynette Sue “Lynn” McReynolds age 63 of Osawatomie, KS died Wednesday January 25, 2017 at Olathe Hospice House.

Lynn was born December 28, 1953 in Clay Center, KS. She was the youngest of five children born to Glindon Ray and Wilma Florence (Pfaltzgraff) Austin. She attended numerous schools throughout her life, because her family moved a lot due to her father’s job site locations changing over the years. She was always a shy and very intelligent student, in which other classmates would always copy off of her.  Most of her teen years, she attended school in the Shawnee Mission school district, graduating with the Shawnee Mission East class of 1972, of over 500 students. After high school, Lynn and Ronald McReynolds were united in marriage on July 29, 1972 in Osawatomie, KS. Together the couple had two children Kristina and Scott.

Immediately following high school, Lynn worked at JC Penney’s in Osawatomie. Then started at the Osawatomie State Hospital in 1973 as a Psychiatric Aide. In 1974, she became a Medical Technician I, under the management of Carolee Hiles, who encouraged her to get her Bachelor’s degree. Lynn became a full time student of Avila University, while working full time, and raising a family, eventually graduating in 1983 with a Bachelor’s of Science in the field of Medical Technology and Clinical Laboratory Science. She never let anyone try to make excuses, if they wanted to earn a degree, because she did it and made the sacrifices to earn hers, and she would push those who sought her advice. She felt education was extremely important, and wanted others to seek knowledge and accomplishment in whatever they were passionate about, and would help anyone reach their goals if she could.  She loved her work “family” as much as she loved her own family, and would do anything to help see her department and others succeed. She had a significant impact on everyone she worked with, and she put off retiring, just so she could leave her department and employees in a good state, without any loose ends, and even then, she didn’t feel it was good enough. She took pride in her work and everything she did, and expected the same of those around her. She worked for the OSH for 43 years, until June of 2016 when she retired as the Medical Laboratory & Ancillary Service Director.

Lynn loved to collect antiques, and go antiquing, looking for those unique items. It was always exciting for her to find a bargain on an item, she knew was worth much more. She enjoyed working in her yard, planting flowers, gardening and spending time outdoors. When she was younger she loved riding horses, barrel racing, and attending rodeos and ropings with her husband and friends. When she was growing up she always wanted to be a veterinarian, and this was very apparent, as she won numerous state 4-H demonstrations on horses and loved animals in general. Lynn was known to find injured or abandoned animals such as baby bunnies, and nurse them back to health and release them. Fellow co-workers even recall her helping to nurse some puppies that had lost their mother, by hiding them under her desk at work and everyone taking turns bottle feeding them. She always regretted not going back and becoming a veterinarian, but as she would say “such is life”.  Lynn loved to travel, and spend time on trips with family and friends, but she didn’t get a chance to do all of the traveling that she wanted. There were still plenty of places on her “bucket list” that she wanted to visit.

Lynn took pride in everything she did, and always  put others needs before herself. The only thing she truly regretted, was not taking time for herself and retiring when it was an option 3 years earlier, and allowing herself to do everything she wanted to, and spending more time with her family, friends, and her pride and joy, her granddaughter Autumn. She wanted everyone to learn from her experiences, and know that life is too short and too precious...put yourself first and just LIVE.

She is preceded in death by her parents and one sister Karen Parmenter.

Survivors include husband of 44 years Ronald of the home, daughter Kristina McReynolds of Olathe, KS and Scott McReynolds of Osawatomie, KS and one granddaughter Autumn McReynolds. Brother Ron Austin of Florida and two sisters Nellie Hardin of Judsonia, AR and Glenna Pruitt of Beebe, AR. Along with other family and friends.