Donald G. Reinert

Donald G. Reinert, 92, of Garden Spot Village, New Holland, passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 9, at Lancaster General Hospital after an illness.

Born in Topton, Berks County, he was a son of the late Arthur and Virginia Reinert.

Don married his wife Janet, whom he loved with all his heart, in 1954. Their son, Jed, for whom Don always strove to be a good role model, was born in 1970.

From 1954 through 1956, Don served as a special agent in the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Corps (CIC). Don received his training at the former U.S. Army Counterintelligence School at Fort Holabird, Baltimore, and the U.S. Army German language school in Oberammergau, Germany. During Don’s years of service, he and Jan lived in Oberammergau and Munich.

While they were in Germany, Don and Jan took opportunities to travel around Europe, accumulating a large library of photos and slides, which they enjoyed revisiting for many years after returning to the U.S.

Don graduated from Kutztown High School and the former Kutztown State Teachers College with a degree in chemistry and a minor in history.

He worked his entire career at Atlas Minerals and Chemicals in Mertztown, Berks County. He started working there as a chemist and retired as director of both the research and development and quality control labs. Don held two patents related to his work. He also served on the company’s board of directors.

Don loved road trips and drove the family to vacation destinations as far afield as Florida, Maine, Michigan, Tennessee and Ontario, Canada. In the 1980s, the family owned a condo in Ocean City, New Jersey, where Don enjoyed spending summer days basking on the beach, riding the waves, playing miniature golf, bicycling and walking the boardwalk.

He and Jan loved finding new restaurants and thought nothing of driving two hours to try a new place for dinner. (Thanks to his time in the Army, Don never met a plate of food he didn’t like.)

Wherever he was, Don loved spending time with his family, and was always quick with a joke - the more groans it elicited, the better.

He loved music and collected records throughout his life. He enjoyed jazz, classical and sacred music, and was an avid singer. He sang in the choir at Trinity Lutheran Church, New Holland, where he and Jan were members, as well as the Village Voices choir at Garden Spot Village. He was especially known as a soloist, and sang solos at church services, concerts, weddings and funerals.

Don deeply loved his late dog, a poodle named Gigi, who sat faithfully by the front door, waiting for him to come home from work each day.

He also enjoyed playing golf, reading, gardening, cooking on the grill, fixing things around the house and volunteering at Garden Spot Village.

He is survived by his wife Jan and son Jed, married to Maureen, of Lancaster, and his beloved granddog, Merry Puppins. He is also survived by a sister, Barbara Oswald of Topton, a brother, Joel of Kutztown, and many nieces and nephews. He is survived through marriage by a sister-in-law, Kathy Wise, and a niece, Karen Wise, both of Reading.

A private memorial service will be held at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Garden Spot Village Benevolent Fund.

Groff High Funeral Home in New Holland is entrusted with the funeral arrangements.