Harold Kenneth ("Deak") Reynolds, 88, died at his home in St. Mary's City on Oct. 17, 2009.

A native of Oklahoma, Deak was born on March 24, 1921 in the small town of Valliant. His parents, Walter and Violet Reynolds, were small business owners and raised beef cattle, and Deak's love of horses began with his youthful cowboy days. He attended Northwestern University and Michigan State University, where he earned a Master's degree. He was also honored by being selected as one of several top executives to attend a special program of studies at the Harvard School of Business.

During World War II, Deak served in the infantry in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Germany, and Austria. After hostilities ceased, he commanded a battalion in the United States Army Constabulary. Deak pursued a full career in the U.S. Army, serving in the Seventh Infantry Division in Korea, then in the United Nations Command, Tokyo. He was Provost Marshal at West Point, and during the Cuban crisis, he was in the 82nd Airborne Division. He then returned to Europe where he served in V Corps and later as Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Command Europe. He completed his military career as Professor of Military Studies at the University of Michigan and retired as a Colonel and Senior Parachutist.

After leaving the Army, Deak joined a Wall Street firm, where he was a member of the New York and American stock exchanges. In 1971, he again changed careers to become Dean and later Executive Vice President at St. Mary's College of Maryland. After nine years in administration, he resigned to teach economics full-time.

Upon retirement from the College in 1987, he founded Deak Reynolds Company, an investment management firm, which he operated until several years before his death.

Along the way, he served on school boards at West Point and in Frankfurt and Munich, Germany. He was a member of the Lexington Park Rotary Club for many years. Deak was also on the Board of Directors of St. Mary's Hospital for seven years and a founding director of the St. Mary's College of Maryland Foundation.
He loved golf and had one hole-in-one and one double eagle. He was the West Point champion, the Fort Bragg champion, the V Corps champion, and was runner-up in the first Army championship. Throughout his life he was fascinated with the art of oriental carpet weaving and collected examples from around the world.

Deak is survived by his wife of 61 years, Elizabeth Anne Holman of New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania, and four living children: Dr. Katherine R. Chandler, Susan Elizabeth Reynolds, Edward Kim Reynolds, Esquire, and John Eric Reynolds. Deak and Beth have one deceased son, Richard Kennady Reynolds.

Deak requested, "If my friends wish to remember me, they may send a donation to the Endowment Fund at St. Mary's College of Maryland in my memory."

His funeral will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Mary's City. Interment will be held at a later date in Pennsylvania. Friends are invited to the Reynolds' home on Pleasant Manor Road after the funeral service to visit with the family.

Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.