Reynolds was the son of Gaines W. Reynolds, a wholesale grocery salesman, and his wife, Anna Louise. Born in
Fort Worth, Texas, he grew up in
Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma, and got his first job in the newspaper business selling papers at the local railroad station. In high school, Reynolds decided he wanted to attend the
University of Missouri's
School of Journalism. He worked during high school and successive summers at a meat packing plant to pay for his studies. While at the University of Missouri, he was initiated into
Pi Kappa Alpha. He graduated in 1927. Reynolds' first business venture was a photo engraving plant. He then purchased and sold the
Quincy Evening News in
Massachusetts, using the proceeds from that sale to buy the
Okmulgee Daily Times in
Oklahoma and the
Southwest Times Record in
Arkansas. Those two papers launched the Donrey Media Group. Operating mostly in small towns, the group grew to include more than 100 businesses, including newspapers, radio stations, television stations, cable television operations, and billboard companies. Perhaps his biggest success came with the ownership of the
Las Vegas Review-Journal, the largest newspaper in
Nevada. Reynolds interrupted his newspaper career to serve in the military during
World War II, initially in military intelligence and, later, as the officer in charge of the Pacific and London editions of the "soldiers' newspaper,"
Yank, the Army Weekly. He attained the rank of
Major, received the
Legion of Merit,
Purple Heart and
Bronze Star Medal during his military service, and returned to civilian status in 1945. He focused his business acumen on businesses located in small but growth-oriented communities, and these communities often were the recipients of the grants by the charitable foundation he created. Reynolds died on April 2, 1993, on a cruise ship in the
Mediterranean Sea, at the age of 86. A large sum of money from his business ventures went to the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. Reynolds left three children on his death: Nancy, Donald, and Jonathan.
Forbes Magazine noted that Reynolds's three children were to receive trust income of $50,000 a year for life, but would be left only $1 if they were to unsuccessfully contest his will. The bulk of the estate was left to The Donald W Reynolds Foundation. ==Broadcasting==