Robert Roy Reynolds: Passed a Year Ago Today

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Robert Reynolds

Robert Roy Reynolds, known to his friends as Bear, was born to Charlene Gunter and

Robert Roy Reynolds Sr. In Corona, California on October 27, 1980. For much of his youth, Robert and his sister were cared for and raised by their maternal grandparents. Their Aunt Colleen stepped into a motherly role and remained close to Robert his whole life.

Robert grew up in the Inland Empire, San Bernardino and Fontana, California. He spent time with his father and half siblings in Texas as well. As a result of adverse childhood experiences, Robert had difficulties as a young adult, and found comfort in street life, prison comrades, and longtime friends. He was a restless, reckless soul and spent several years incarcerated. Despite his tough exterior, he quickly earned the nickname Bear because he had a generous heart and could never say no to someone in need.

Married at a young age, he had his oldest son Gage before divorcing. He went on to have a daughter, Ariel, and his youngest son, Riot. His children were the pride of his life and he loved them deeply. Robert held many different jobs in his life. He enjoyed sketching, drawing portraits, wood carving, and designing and inking tattoos. In 2020, he moved to Hayward, California, to help his friends Robert and Katie Miller operate their towing company. He ended up loving the job and excelled at it. He and Robert became best friends and were often referred to as Robert #1 and #2. In 2021, Robert met Vanessa, and moved to Humboldt County to be with her. He said that she was his beauty and he was her beast.

Robert began to suffer from degenerative disc disease in 2022. In 2023 he was hospitalized with transverse myelitis, a condition in which his immune system attacked his spinal cord. As a result, he had impaired mobility, neuralgia and loss of sensation in his legs. This caused him daily physical pain and depression at the prospect of living the rest of his life in pain and frustration. He struggled to accept his reduced mobility and chronic pain, expressing regrets for not having taken better care of himself in life.

Robert passed away suddenly at age 44 in the early hours of December 12, 2024, which was the anniversary of his grandfather’s death. The night before his passing he was happy and smiling.

He was cremated on Christmas Eve on a sunny clear morning. In typical Robert form, he made his departure noticeable. As soon as his cremation began, out of nowhere it started to rain ice and thunder loudly. As soon as the cremation was over, there was a rainbow followed by clear skies and sunshine. His ashes went home to be with his Aunt Colleen.

Robert was preceded in death by both sets of grandparents, other family members, many friends from Southern California and a few from Humboldt. He struggled particularly with the loss of his maternal grandparents and his cousin, and mourned them constantly.

He was survived by his girlfriend, Vanessa Ericksen and her parents, his Aunt Colleen (Colleenie) who loved him as a son, his mother Charlene Gunter, his estranged father Robert Reynolds Sr., his sister Angela and her family, his half siblings on his father’s side, his children Gage Torres, Ariel Qualls, and Riot Reynolds, his best friend and brother from another mother Robert Miller and his wife Katie, and many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews and friends too numerous to list.

Robert was not afraid of death, having looked it in the face several times. Rather, he was afraid of living with poor function and chronic pain for the rest of his life. The silver lining in his passing is that he has shed his earthly mantle and no longer suffers from his physical and mental chains.

Special thanks to any doctors and staff who showed compassion and patience to him during visits to the ER, doctors’ offices and testing sites. And to the Humboldt Coroner who was compassionate and informative. Special gratitude goes to Mark Gilliam at Humboldt Cremation, whose empathy and care and generosity made a devastating occasion less painful.

Please make sure to tell your friends and family how much you love them and give what you can to those less fortunate or those in need.