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Obituary: Mayor William W. Reynolds Jr

On January. 4, 2021, age 81 of The Evergreens in Moorestown, formerly a longtime Haddonfield resident, husband of the late Mollie (nee Hartman); Beloved father of William W. III (Rena) of Fort Myers, Florida, James M. (Joy) of Collingswood NJ and Rebecca Reynolds of Highland Park NJ; Loving grandfather of Isaac, Henry, Graham and Emilia; Dear brother of Ned and Jack (Monique) Reynolds.

Above all, Bill was a man deeply committed to his family and his community. Son of a longtime superintendent of Haddonfield’s public schools, he graduated from Haddonfield Memorial High School in 1957 and Lafayette College in 1961. He went on to earn a Masters from Harvard University and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. After completing his studies and working as an administrative assistant dean at the Graduate School of Education at Penn, he became the principal of the Bancroft School in Haddonfield. During that time, he was elected to the Haddonfield Borough Commission and served as mayor from 1973 to 1977 – a victory which he attributed to people confusing him with his father (with whom he shared the same name). He unsuccessfully ran for county freeholder in 1978, at which point his political career ended after his wife told him that he could keep an elected office or her, but not both. He made the right choice. 

Bill went on to found Reynolds and Schaffer Associates, a consulting firm that provided marketing, fundraising and strategic planning services to nonprofit corporations. In 1997, he left the consulting business and became the founding director of the Center for Management and Entrepreneurship at Rutgers University School of Business in Camden where he served until his retirement in 2010. In 2006/7 he was asked to serve as interim dean of the Rutgers Camden School of Business while the university searched for a permanent successor.

Outside of work and politics, Bill served the Haddonfield community and greater South Jersey in myriad ways. He was a lifelong Rotarian and taught the men’s bible class at Haddonfield United Methodist Church for more than 20 years. He spent 43 years on the board of the Haddonfield Public Library, 28 years as president. In 1983 he and a few other like-minded citizens founded the Haddonfield Foundation, and he served as its president from 1983 until 2003 and as a board member until 2010.  For many years he served as the moderator of the annual Town Meeting hosted by the Haddonfield Civic Association. Bill also served significant stints on the boards of the Camden County YMCA, Respond, Inc., the Evergreens retirement community in Moorestown and, more recently, on the national board of ACTS Retirement Life Communities.

A gentle and patient father, he was never short on advice when asked, but never imposed his opinion (or will) on his children, even in their most wayward moments. As his kids grew into adults, he and Mollie liked nothing better than staying up late over drinks to hear of their latest adventures and exploits, perhaps learning more than they wished but accepting all news with grace and equanimity.

When Bill retired in 2010, it was to care for his beloved wife, Mollie, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. It was in this period of his life that his commitment to service became most manifest, as he lovingly tended to Mollie’s needs through her death in 2019. Affectionately known by his grandchildren as “Granther”, he was perhaps happiest watching his grandchildren on the baseball diamond, the soccer field, the basketball court and the dance stage.  He was also an avid fisherman who stalked the beaches of New Jersey, most often in the company of his close friend and first cousin, George Trotman.

Due to Covid, Bill’s Services are tentatively planned for April 2021, please check www.KainMurphy.com for information updates. Interment, private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in honor of Bill may be made to The Haddonfield Foundation, PO Box 555, Haddonfield NJ 08033 (www.haddonfieldfoundation.org)

Arrangements by Kain-Murphy Funeral Services of Haddonfield NJ. 856-429-1945 www.KainMurphy.com

Bill Reynolds, former mayor, dies at age 81

William W. Reynolds Jr, who served as the mayor of Haddonfield from 1973 to 1977 (and as the commissioner for public works, parks, and property), died on January 4, 2021. He was 81.

In recent years he was resident of Acts Retirement Community in Moorestown (formerly The Evergreens, for which he served as a board member for many years).

Bill Reynolds was born in Haddonfield — literally — in the family home. His father, known as “Bull” Reynolds, was in turn a teacher, the principal of the high school, and the superintendent of the school district.

In addition to serving as an elected official, Bill Reynolds was a member of the Public Library’s board of trustees for 43 years (28 of them as president) and a charter member of The Haddonfield Foundation (25 years as president).

A longtime member of the Rotary Club, he was honored with life membership in 2019.

He was named Haddonfield Citizen of the Year for 1998.

A funeral notice will be published here, when available.

January 6 Update: The date of death was corrected, to January 4, 2021.

January 6 Update: The obituary is here..

New Year message from the mayor

The following message, from Mayor Neal Rochford, was posted on the Borough’s Facebook page on December 31.

This year has been like no other. No one could have expected our lives and our way of living to change so rapidly, the way it did with the Covid-19 virus: schools closing, businesses interrupted, widespread unemployment, sports, and an entertainment shut down. Also a byproduct of the pandemic: social isolation and families that cannot see one another.

At the borough, us commissioners had to take drastic action to preserve services that are vital to our resident’s well being. Police, fire, EMT’s service, trash collection, storm remediation, borough hall services, and the library needed to continue. Our borough employees were instrumental in keeping services ongoing. With their cooperation, the borough has been able to meet our goal to serve our residents despite the many hurdles presented by Covid-19. The borough will continue to preserve vital services during the pandemic.

In the next year, I expect the first quarter to be challenging. The virus will continue to infect large numbers until the new vaccines take hold. Please continue to follow mask rules, hand washing recommendations, and social distancing. I urge everyone to obtain the vaccine when it becomes available to you. I would take the vaccine today if I could, however, I will not do so until our police, fire, EMTs, and public works crews receive the vaccine first.

Heartfelt thanks to so many individuals and families who have stepped up to volunteer and help out others. There have been many initiatives from our residents to assist others that need help during the pandemic with food, clothing, and services. Your support of the business district has been instrumental in keeping shops and restaurants open. Another group that deserves recognition are our families with school-age children and educators who have had to transition to a remote learning model. You are awesome for adapting to a new model of teaching.

Let’s make 2021 the year of normal again. In the spirit of positivity, share something that you are grateful for. I’ll start by saying that I am grateful to serve our borough and for all the volunteers that make this town great. Wishing you and your families a Happy New Year!

CER postpones classes

Haddonfield Community Education & Recreation (formerly, the Haddonfield Adult School) announced today that it has suspended operations.

In a message to teachers and students, the CER board wrote:

“Thank you for the dedication, flexibility and creativity you’ve shown during this unprecedented time of remote learning. After much consideration, the Haddonfield CER board has made the difficult decision to postpone all classes. The cost was too high, the enrollment too low and the future too uncertain. We are optimistic as we look ahead to the time when we are learning together again.”


COVID-19: 1 in 38 infected; Schools close.

If you know 37 other residents of Haddonfield, the chances are that at least one of them — or you, yourself — has contracted the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

Today — December 21, 2020 — the number of cases reported locally topped 300. It’s 304, to be exact. Based on Haddonfield’s population of 11,593 (2010 Census), that translates to 26.22 per 1,000 or 1 in 38 persons.

Camden County today hit 50.98 per 1,000, based on a population of 513,657. New Jersey’s rate is nearly identical: 49.56 per 1,000, based on a population of 8,791,894. (2010 Census)

Yesterday, Haddonfield’s superintendent of schools, Chuck Klaus, ordered all schools to operate in full virtual instruction mode until December 23. Details HERE. (Schools are closed on December 24 and are scheduled to reopen on Monday, January 4.)

A total of 84 members of the school community have tested positive for COVID-19: 38 males and 46 females; 70 students and 14 adults.

All public schools pivot to remote learning

Chuck Klaus, Haddonfield’s superintendent of schools, announced today that all public schools will operate remotely from Monday (December 21). He sent the following message to the school community:

“The decision was made earlier today that Haddonfield School District will be moving to full virtual instruction beginning Monday, December 21, through Wednesday, December 23. The decision to include the entire district is based on additional positive cases that were reported this weekend.

“This decision was made after consulting with the Camden County Department of Health. Factors included 32 positive cases in the last 14 days and 13 in the past five days, two of which required contact tracing with an unknown source of origin. We are also waiting for test results from roughly 12 students. Keeping the safety and wellness of our students and staff as our top priority, we believe implementing the full virtual model is the optimal way to proceed.

“Principals will provide building-specific schedules.  

“We did all that we could to keep in-person instruction intact; from increased PPE measures to closing only specific classrooms or individual buildings, but the sheer volume of new cases and the knowledge of several pending tests brought us to this challenging decision We believe a district-wide move to a fully virtual model is in the best interest of the health of our students, families and staff.”


One new COVID-19 death in Haddonfield

The Camden County Department of Health today reported that a Haddonfield woman in her 80s has succumbed to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

Her death brings the total of Haddonfield fatalities to six (three males and three females).

  • April — Male 80s
  • May — Male 90s
  • June — Male 70s
  • August — Female 40s
  • September — Female 70s
  • December — Female 80s

Now new cases were reported today. The total number of cases locally stands at 250, representing 21.56 per 1,000 of population — about 1 case for every 50 residents. (Comparison: Camden County 43.68; New Jersey 42.89.)

The Haddonfield Public Schools have reported 48 cases to date: 40 juveniles and teens and 8 adults. The Middle School accounts for 13 of the cases; the High School for 23.

COVID-19 cases hit 250 — 1 for every 50 residents

The Camden County Department of Health today reported 15 new COVID-19 cases for Haddonfield — five each for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. The total number of cases locally now stands at 250, representing 21.56 per 1,000 of population — about 1 case for every 50 residents. (Comparison: Camden County 43.15; New Jersey 42.26.)

The average number of new cases per day for December, so far, is 3.14, surpassing the rate for all of November (2.80 cases per day), and triple the rates for October and September (0.9 and 0.93 respectively).

The deaths of five Haddonfield residents have been attributed to COVID-19. The most recent was reported on September 30.

Cases for male residents outnumber those for females, 136 to 114. In the lower age ranges, the male/female split is about even, but there is a dramatic difference is the 50s: 31 males to 12 females.

The Haddonfield Public Schools have reported 48 cases to date: 40 juveniles and teens and 8 adults. The Middle School accounts for 13 of the cases; the High School for 23.

Schools to return to hybrid model

As planned, Haddonfield Public Schools will return to the hybrid model on Monday, December 7.

Superintendent Chuck Klaus sent the following message to members of the school community today (Thursday, December 3):

Since the decision was made to shift to five days of full-remote instruction at the beginning of this week, we have been monitoring both local and regional COVID numbers.  This included a meeting with the Camden County Department of Health and the Camden County superintendents.  Based on the Southwest Region remaining classified as “High Risk or Orange” and low incidents reported for Haddonfield students and staff, we are confident that the schools will be safe, and we will return to the hybrid model on December 7, as planned. 

The decision for a temporary move to full-remote learning was a difficult one, and today’s decision to return to in-person instruction has been no less challenging. Ultimately, this decision rests upon our confidence in the schools being safe environments and our strong belief in the value of in-person instruction. 

The November 25th decision to close schools for five days was made in part to reduce any potential need for widespread quarantines after the holiday break. In order to remain open for the remainder of December, we must promote a “community first” mindset. The school district implores families and staff members to complete daily screening forms with care and accuracy. If any student or staff person has symptoms of COVID-19, they should stay home and attend school remotely.  Additionally, if you have been exposed to an individual who is symptomatic and/or exposed to those designated as close contacts, especially in your own household, you must not come into our schools.

These difficult times require difficult decisions. Ultimately our goal is to remain in our hybrid model for the remaining 13 school days of December. This can best be accomplished if we all take responsibility and are cautious about potentially exposing others.

November’s COVID-19 tally: 84

The surge in the number cases reported by the Camden County Department of Health for Haddonfield in November reflects the dramatic increases for the county, the state, and the country as a whole. The total for November — 84 (46 males and 38 females) was essentially equal to the numbers for July (18), August (11), September (28), and October (28) added together.

The age group with the highest number of reported cases in November was the 10s — 37 (21 males and 16 females). The public schools reported 30 cases in the 10s in November (27 males and 13 females). Next highest? The 50s — 12 (8 males and 4 females).

As of November 30, the total number of cases reported for Haddonfield stood at 228 (123 males and 105 females). The breakdown by age group is as follows:

  • Unknown age — 7 (Male 6, Female 1)
  • Juvenile (under 10) — 8 (M 5, F 3)
  • 10s — 64 (M 32, F 32)
  • 20 s– 42 (M 20, F 22)
  • 30s — 23 (M 12, F 11)
  • 40s — 25 (M 13, F 12)
  • 50 — 35 (M 25, F 10)
  • 60s — 8 (M 3, F 5)
  • 70s — 8 (M 7, F 1)
  • 80s — 7 (M 1, F 6)
  • 90s — 1 (F)

The Camden County Department of Health has reported the deaths of five Haddonfield residents due to COVID-19:

  • 40s — 1 (F)
  • 70s — 2 (M 1, F 1)
  • 80s — 1 (F)
  • 90s — 1 (F)

As of November 30, the infection rate among Haddonfield residents was 19.67 per 1,000. For comparison, the rates for Camden County and New Jersey both stood at 38.37 on November 30. The transmission rate for New Jersey was 1.11.

For Camden County as of November 30 — 19,708 cases and 607 deaths.

For New Jersey — 337,304 cases and 15,164 deaths.

United States — 13,536,216 cases and 267,987 deaths.