Willis Alton Reineke

Willis Alton “Bill” Reineke, 88, former Sandpoint resident died Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at Kootenai Medical Center. Memorial services for Bill will be conducted 10:30AM, Monday, June 6, 2011 at Coffelt Funeral Chapel. Inurnment will follow in Pinecrest Memorial Park, with military rites by the VFW. He was born Aug. 8, 1922 in Watertown, SD, the son of Herman and Freida Reineke. After the family lost their farm when he was 7 they moved to Stacy, MN where he was educated. In 1939 when he was 17 he enlisted in the US Army and served in the North Africa and Italy Campaigns where he earned a Purple Heart. On Oct. 15, 1943 he was injured in Italy and was transferred back to Newton D. Baker General Hospital in Martinsburg, WV. After recovering he was discharged on June 27, 1944. Following his discharge he returned to Minnesota and later went to work for Fairchild Aircraft Co. in Hagerstown MD. While there he earned a degree in metallurgy. On Oct. 2, 1954 he married Pauline Potter in Hagerstown, MD. He was later transferred to California where he was a quality control supervisor at Ling-Temco-Vought Aircraft. In 1969 he moved to Sandpoint and worked for McCormick Construction in the building of Condo Del Sol. He began working in maintenance for the Pend Oreille School District retiring in the mid 1970’s. Following his retirement he worked managing the Elks Golf Course for a few years. Bill enjoyed spending time with his buddies for a cup of coffee at the Elks Club. He was a life member of the Elks, had been a member of a gun club in California, enjoyed hunting, fishing, and spending time in nature. He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Pauline Fowler Reineke of Post Falls; 4 children: Carolyn (Gary) Matthews of West Virginia, Willis (Ronda) Reineke, Jr. of Newman Lake, WA, Gary Fowler of Hollywood, MD, Paulette Fowler Gorsuch of Palm Springs, CA; 9 Grandchildren: Gary Matthews, Jr., Perianne Matthews, Elizabeth Matthews DeVoir, Gregory Matthews, Christopher Reineke, Aaron Reineke, Matthew Reineke, April Gomez, Craig Gorsuch, Kristin Gorsuch; and 3 great Grandchildren: Josiah Matthews, Kaitlyn Matthews, and Bradley DeVoir. He was preceded in death by his sister Leila and brother LaVerne.