Retired Baylor president dies at 77

Former Baylor University President Herbert H. Reynolds, who led the world's largest Baptist university for 14 years, died Friday. He was 77.

Reynolds died suddenly in Angel Fire, N.M., the university announced.

During his tenure, from 1981 to 1995, Reynolds was known for his work to move Baylor's governing body outside the control of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The school's trustees voted in 1990 to create a board of regents with more independence from the convention.

"Herb made an extraordinary impact on Baylor University, creating a new governance structure and supporting a variety of new academic initiatives, student life opportunities and facilities," Baylor President John M. Lilley said in a statement.

His wife, Joy Reynolds, told the Waco Tribune-Herald that the couple had residences in both Waco and New Mexico and had arrived in Angel Fire on Thursday night. She said they had been planning to spend the day mapping out their summer plans.

"We were looking forward to the day," she said.

Reynolds worked with regents to establish the George W. Truett Theological Seminary in the 1990s so the university could have a seminary separate from the Southern Baptist Convention.

He earned a bachelor's degree from Trinity University in 1952 and then served four years in the U.S. Air Force. He completed a master's degree in psychology and a doctorate in experimental psychology and clinical psychology in 1961 at Baylor.

The Frankston native worked for the Aeromedical Research Laboratories at Alamogordo, N.M. before returning to Baylor in 1969 as executive vice president. He became the school's 11th president in June 1981.

After retiring from the presidency, Reynolds served as chancellor until 2000.

He is survived by his wife, three children and seven grandchildren.