NELSON (NED) ARTHUR REINKE, JR

Nelson (Ned) Arthur Reinke, Jr. passed away, Saturday, July 20, 2019 at North Woods Nursing Center, Farwell, Michigan at the age of 87.  Nelson was born on March 14, 1932 in Saginaw, Michigan, the son of Nelson Arthur Reinke, Sr. and Loretta (Barry) Reinke.  He was united in marriage to Doris Jean (Hill) Reinke on August 20, 1951 at St. Michael’s Church in Flint, Michigan.

Ned enlisted in the Army soon after graduating from Alma High School, and he married his childhood sweetheart, Doris, before leaving to serve in the American Occupation Army in Japan.  While in Japan, he was a member of the Army traveling football exhibition team.  Doris was able to join him in Japan in 1953. 

After a brief stay in Illinois, where their daughter, Ann, was born, they moved to Alma, Michigan.  Ned managed a small lumber yard in Alma.  His next career move was to Janesville, Wisconsin to again manage a lumber yard.

Missing Michigan and their families, they moved to Bay City, Michigan, and Ned joined Gregory Lumber Company.  The company evolved quickly into a custom home builder, then a major commercial construction company.  Ned was vice president at this firm until 1975, when he left to start his own business in Harrison, Michigan.  Nelson A. Reinke Builders started business in 1975 and Hearth of the Home Fireplace Shop in 1976.

Ned enjoyed partridge hunting, motorcycles, snowmobiling, classic cars, fishing, golf, and playing euchre with friends.  He also owned and piloted his single prop airplane. Ned always made time to help out friends, family, and the Harrison Community whenever a need arose.

Ned was a member of the St. Athanasius Church in Harrison, School Board President, Summerfield Township Supervisor, President of the Harrison Kiwanis Club, and involved in many others.

Ned was very proud of all of his children, their spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  Nothing melted his heart more than a newborn baby.

Left to cherish Ned’s memory are his children: Ann and husband, Thad, of Adrian, Michigan; Mark and wife, Elaine, of Harrison, Michigan; James and wife, Julie, of Harrison; Ellen and partner, Ron, of Grass Lake, Michigan; Jean and husband, Joel, of Harrison; and John and husband, George, of Grand Rapids, Michigan; 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, Robert Hill and sister-in-law, Sharon of Flint, Michigan; sister-in-law, Joyce Reed and husband, John, of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Nelson was preceded in death by his wife, Doris Jean (Hill) Reinke; their infant daughter, Mary Reinke; his father, Nelson Arthur Reinke, Sr., mother, Loretta Winifred (Barry) Reinke, his father-in-law, Robert Melvin Hill, and mother-in-law, Helen Mae (Ziegler) Hill; brother-in-law, Donald Ray Myers, and sister, Elizabeth Noreen (Reinke) Myers; and grandson, Matthew James Reinke.

Funeral Mass for Nelson will be held Thursday, July 25, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. from St. Athanasius Catholic Church, 310 S. Broad St., Harrison, with Fr. J. Marcel Portelli officiating. A Memorial Gathering to share memories of Mr. Reinke will take place Wednesday, July 24, 2019 from 5:30-9:00 p.m. at Stocking Funeral Home, Harrison. Inurnment will be in St. Athanasius Catholic Cemetery, Harrison. Memorial gifts in memory of Ned may be considered to: Matthew J. Reinke Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund, PO Box 391, Clare, MI. 48617 or Clare County Animal Shelter, PO Box 438, Harrison, MI. 48625. To share an online memory or condolence with Ned’s family, please visit: www.stockingfuneralhome.com. Arrangements for Mr. Reinke are entrusted with Stocking Funeral Home, Harrison (989) 539-7810.