Edward Reynoso

On February 21, 2023, Edward (Ed) Reynoso, loving husband and father of two, passed away at the age of ninety-two, just short of his ninety-third birthday. Mr. Reynoso was born in Watts, California on March 4, 1930. Edward’s mother Caroline came to America from Chihuahua, Mexico at the age of 19. His parents worked as farm labor contractors who followed the California growing season. His father, Bonifacio, provided farm workers to Northern California ranches and his mother Caroline cooked for the men. Bonifacio passed away in Woodland, California when Ed was only eight years old. As the oldest child, Ed worked in the fields during the day and then helped his mother clean the local bank in the evenings.

Given his family responsibilities and with English as his second language, Ed was only able to complete school to the eighth grade. He met Mary Francis “Ginger” Mabrey through mutual friends in Sacramento and they married in 1952. Mr. Reynoso enlisted in the Army and did his basic training at Monterey’s Fort Ord. Mrs. Reynoso and her mother moved to Pacific Grove to be near him. When Mr. Reynoso’s service ended, they moved to Sacramento, where they purchased their first home with the help of the Veteran’s Administration and began their family. The Reynoso’s remained in the same neighborhood for six decades.

Post his military service, Ed became an apprentice plumber and later a journeyman, when he then began his own business – Reynoso Mechanical. After a couple of years, he realized that a steadier income was needed so he enrolled at Sacramento City College. Thanks to the GI Bill, he was able to earn his AA, which led to his being hired as a Plumbing Inspector for the City of Sacramento. He later advanced to all construction disciplines and was proud to lead the City’s “fast track” team on several significant construction projects, including the Arco Arena, Sacramento Convention Center as well as the Hyatt Regency as just a few examples.  After nearly four decades, Mr. Reynoso retired from the City of Sacramento and began a construction consulting practice where he lent his expertise to several clients’ large Northern California projects.  In addition, he also built a few investment homes in the South Sacramento/Greenhaven areas, later selling them.

Ed loved to water ski on both the Sacramento and American Rivers and taught his children to water ski at an early age. He volunteered his time and expertise as well as needed materials to help build the first permanent home for the Sacramento Children’s Museum in the city’s downtown area. He always liked being outdoors, especially camping, and welcomed any chance to be in the mountains. As a young man, Ed enjoyed deer hunting, and even more so if he could do this on horseback. Ed and Ginger loved to dance and for several decades were members of a local dance club.  They also especially loved being grandparents and great grandparents and valued any time spent with their grandsons and great grandchildren.

Mr. Reynoso is survived by his daughter Karen Conover of Aurora, Colorado, son Randall Reynoso of Sacramento, grandsons Lon Lundgren of San Francisco, Bryson Reynoso of Sacramento and Vincent Lundgren of Roseville, California. Ed was also a great grandfather and is survived by Elyssa Lundgren and Emilee Lundgren both of Arizona and Julius Reynoso of Sacramento. The family would like to thank the team at Carlton Plaza and Stephanie, Odalis and Griselda at Silver Oaks Residential Senior Living, as well as nurse Tam Nguyen, for their kindness and the quality care that Ed received. Services will be held on Friday March 17^th at St. Mary Cemetery and Funeral Center, 6509 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento, CA. A viewing will take place at 9am followed by a Rosary at 9:30 and Liturgy at 10am. Burial will take place at St. Mary at 11am followed by a luncheon. In lieu of sending flowers, the family asks those who are able to please donate to The Disabled American Veterans at dav.org.