Remembering……

A long time Cuesta College advocate, former member of the Cuesta Board of Trustees, and beloved friend and mentor to many. Those are a few of many roles left vacant by Frances Reynolds, who passed away on Tuesday, January 20.  She died peacefully at home, after a courageous battle with cancer.  She was 86.

A retired school teacher and school librarian, Reynolds served as an elected Trustee for the San Luis Obispo County Community College District from 1979 through 1996, donating all of her Board remuneration to college programs to help students, to establish scholarships and to support the library.  She was a member of the Cuesta College Foundation Board of Directors from 1987 through 1996 and a long-time member of the Cuesta Friends of the Library board.

Reynolds was part of a citizen’s group that formed a committee to establish a community college in San Luis Obispo County after the loss of the San Luis Obispo Junior College in 1959. Working tirelessly to get the issue on the ballot, she helped found a speaker's bureau that took the case to the public to help make Cuesta College a reality. Fittingly, and three decades later, Reynolds was appointed to the blue-ribbon North County Campus site selection committee.

Before arriving in San Luis Obispo in 1953, Reynolds served in Washington, D.C. as an assistant to Senator J. W. Fulbright. Reynolds and her husband Wally came to the area when he was appointed to the Cal Poly mechanical engineering faculty. In San Luis Obispo, Reynolds helped to found the San Luis Obispo chapter of the League of Women Voters and assisted with the founding of the Commission on the Status of Women. Reynolds was the first recipient of the J. Vard Loomis Award for Distinguished Board Service given by the Cuesta College Foundation in 1998.  She received the 1996 Betty Nielsen Volunteer of the Year Award in 1992 and in 1996, and was honored with the Cuesta College Women of Distinction "Women in Education" award. 

As a member of the District Board of Trustees, Reynolds’ leadership was quiet but legendary according to Cuesta College Superintendent/President Marie E. Rosenwasser. "Her kind demeanor and soft-spoken voice belied her brilliance and wisdom.  A person of uncompromising integrity, Reynolds fought the tough battles for Cuesta with dignity, determination and patience," she said. "There was never a ‘hidden agenda’ with Frances; she served no special interests.  Frances always maintained the high road in debates and her leadership assured quality programs and the best possible solutions to help students succeed." 

Reynolds is a native of Arkansas, graduating with a bachelor's degree in English/history from the University of Arkansas.  At the time, William Fulbright was President of the University.  When he was elected to Congress, Frances was one of the three outstanding students he chose to take with him to Washington.

Her career includes time as Secretary to the Dean of the School of Law and the Law Librarian at the University of Arkansas. She not only managed the Washington, D.C. offices of Senator Fulbright, but also served as an administrative assistant to Congressman James W. Trimble. After moving to California in 1947, she devoted herself to children, entering the workforce again in 1958 with San Luis Coastal Unified School District until her retirement in 1983. She received her MA from San Jose State University in 1970.

Reynolds was a volunteer all her life working to make a difference in the community. "I believe there is something we all need to do beyond everyday living and that is giving something to the common good," said Reynolds at the time she received the Loomis Award.

The sounds of classical and jazz guitar at Cuesta College will always accompany the legacy of Reed Gilchrist. The talented musician, composer, husband, father and friend passed away recently, leaving a tremendous void in the hearts and musical experiences of fans located throughout the world. He was 67 years old.

Among his many accomplishments, Gilchrist was the director of the internationally renown "La Guitarra," the classical guitar festival at Cuesta College. He promoted the festival in his role as president of the Cuesta Guitar Circle, garnering international attention from musicians and fans alike. He played frequently with the Tolosa Strings Quintet, which performed many of Gilchrist’s original compositions.

Gilchrist co-hosted a weekly radio on KCBX, also called "La Guitarra," that brought the sounds of classical guitar to local airwaves. The show emphasized new guitarists and pieces and featured musical discussion about classical guitar, artists and interviews.

Dr. Hadley Osran was Gilchrist’s co-host on the radio show. According to Osran, Gilchrist was largely responsible for the success of the La Guitarra Festival and was the driving force behind the weekly radio show. "Reed was very good at marketing and made that festival into something that even European guitarists would know about," he said. "He knew an incredible amount of information about the guitars and composers – he was like a living encyclopedia for classical and jazz guitar. The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, the finest guitar quartet in the world, are all fans of Reed and his music. Guitarists in the community, nationally and internationally will feel the loss. I’m going to miss him."

Gilchrist was a music instructor, teaching privately and part-time for Cuesta College. "He was the best teacher that I ever had," said Osran. "Thanks to Reed, students that never picked up a guitar learned quickly." Gilchrist taught Applied Music at Cuesta College. In addition, he was very active as a participant in the college’s Aquakinetics Program.

A Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native, Gilchrist began playing guitar at age nine. He was a student of Joe Negri, Richard Pick and Sophocles Papas, and attended Muskingum College Conservatory of Music in Ohio. He served four years with the U.S. Air Force Band, and won a Hall of Fame Scholarship in composition from "Downbeat Magazine." The Cayucos resident performed extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Gilchrist also was the owner and guitar instructor of "Music Workshop" in La Habra, California for more than 20 years. Many of Gilchrist’s former students are still active in the Southern California music scene according to his wife Lenore. "He had such a passion for music and teaching music – and he channeled that into La Guitarra, which brought such excellent recognition to the college and the community," she said. "More than anything, he would want the festival to continue."

Gilchrist wrote many pieces of music, including "River Impressions," "Dream Dances," and "Little Friends," a piece about Gilchrist’s grandchildren – Zoe, Alistair and Ruby.

Before Warren and Bob, there was Carmen Mauro, Cuesta’s first Director of Athletics and Physical Education. The former professional baseball player, original Cuesta faculty member and father of two had just celebrated his 50^th wedding anniversary before passing away in December. He was 77 years old.

Carmen served as Director of Athletics between 1965 and 1987. Carmen also was also our baseball coach. He came to Cuesta from Merced College where he was Dean of Students. He played professional baseball from 1948 to 1953 with the Cubs, Dodgers, Washington Senators and Philadelphia Athletics. Carmen hit an in-the-park home run in his first professional at-bat, and roomed with Tommy Lasorda when they both played for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

(CHECK) Carmen is a graduate of the Univ of Washington, where he completed his MS.

He was assistant baseball coach there as well.

Frances Reynolds