Obituary of Robert (Bob) Gerald REYNOLDS

August 17, 1943 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
May 14, 2021 – Calgary, Alberta

Bob Reynolds, beloved husband of Patricia Phyllis Reynolds (nee Vannebo) of Calgary, AB, passed away on Friday, May 14, 2021, at the age of 77 years.

Bob was born in Saskatoon, SK on August 17, 1943. He was active in drag racing for 37 years, beginning in 1966 as a driver in NHRA Stock and Super Stock categories. Drag racing was a passion shared by the Reynolds family: Bob, Pat, and their daughter Sherry.

Bob married Patricia (Pat) in 1965 and together they owned and operated Simons Valley 66 Service Station which they sold in 1977 when he suffered his first major heart attack. Never one to be idle long, in 1979 Bob and Pat opened a speed shop on 16 Ave. NW under the name Pit Stop – Toys for Big Boys. The name was later changed to Pro-Formance Specialties due to a conflict with Canadian Tire Lube stores in eastern Canada. In 1987, they sold the business to Mopac but continued their racing affiliation. Meanwhile, in 1983, they acquired ownership of a Federal-Mogul top alcohol funny car.  With Bob as crew chief, the fame of the Showdown team began to grow. In 1998 Showdown won the 1998 NHRA Division 6 Federal-Mogul Funny Car Championship and Bob won the 1998 Jerry Verhuel Memorial Sportsman Crew Chief of the Year Award for Division 6. 

Showdown never travelled in a huge custom-built hauler. It was transported in a small, covered trailer behind a heavy-duty pickup truck. “You don’t win races with a big hauler!” Bob said and went on to prove that point on numerous occasions, winning the recognition and admiration of his competitors. Bob’s Showdown partnership with driver Roger Bateman ended after 20 years. The car was sold in 2004, dismantled and parts distributed around the world. Bob continued to be crew chief for a few top alcohol funny car owners, but sadly, failing health forced him to retire from racing. In 2019, he was honoured to be named to the Canadian Drag Racing Hall of Fame.   
He will be greatly missed by anybody that had the good fortune to know him.

Two words to describe Bob? Generous, intelligent, loyal, trustworthy, adventurous, reliable, fun and funny!  Ah well, you who knew Bob know that two words wouldn’t do it!

Bob was an extremely knowledgeable man, devouring every word of two newspapers a day. He was brilliantly well-read on an endless array of subjects and was devoted to the history of WWI and WWII. Only Bob could be admitted into a war or history museum at the opening and be ushered out at closing no matter how small the collection. Visits to European cities were chosen for their battle sites or museums. He had a talent as Mr. Fix It and could wire anything together, or at least had endless ideas on how to do it.

Generous and dependable with his time, he provided endless hours of chauffeuring, personal care and companionship to Pat’s aunt and uncle, Kay and Pee-Wee Vannebo (Strathmore, AB), especially in their declining years. Kay would have been unable to visit her homeland and only remaining brother and his family in Lewes, England without Bob’s most willing assistance and care which she truly valued.

Bob’s health was compromised with his first heart attack at age 34. Undeterred, he lived his life to the fullest slowed only by further serious health issues in recent years.

Besides his loving wife and partner of 55 years, Pat, Bob is survived by his much-loved daughter Sherry Reynolds, and grandchildren, Tammi and Dustin Tanner. Also surviving him are his in-laws, Peggy Howard, of Victoria, BC and Norman Vannebo (Verna), of Lethbridge, AB; as well as numerous nieces and nephews residing in Calgary and Victoria. He was predeceased by his mother June Vickery in 1979, and subsequently by in-laws, Norman and Phyllis Vannebo, Joan Haras, Joyce Patton, and Kay and Pee-Wee Vannebo.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 24, 2021 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Chapelhow Royal Canadian Legion, 606 38th Ave NE. In lieu of flowers,  if friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta, www.heartandstroke.ca, or A.A.R.C.S. – Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society, www.aarcs.ca/donate. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Bob’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com.

We would like to acknowledge our sincere appreciation to all the staff at the Dulcina Hospice for their genuinely caring treatment of Bob during his stay.

The family wishes to express their everlasting gratitude to long-time drag racing friends: Dave, Lynn, and Dean who have been at our side helping in innumerable ways throughout the journey of Bob’s illness and demise. Special thanks to Harry Pegg who compiled Showdown’s racing history.

In living memory of Bob Reynolds, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 CENTRE STREET NORTH, CALGARY, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-243-8200.