Reginald Ansett was born on 13 February 1909 in Inglewood, Victoria, Australia. He was married to Joan McAuliffe Adams and Grace Doreen Nicol. He died on 23 December 1981 in Mount Eliza, Victoria, Australia.
He was awarded Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1969 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to the transport industry.