Donald Reineke

1933 - 2022

Donald (Don) F. Reineke, 89, Myersville, MD, died Friday evening, October 14, 2022 as a result of injuries sustained in a vehicular accident. Born January 21, 1933 in Wheeling, WV, and was the son of Frederick W. Reineke and Helen Irene (Gellner) Reineke. He was preceded in death by youngest son Kevin Patrick Reineke and the love of his life, wife Beverly Ann (Hores) Reineke. He is survived by sons Gregory P. Reineke (wife Maxine-Salima), Needmore, PA and Sean David Reineke (wife Gabriela), Bethesda, MD, granddaughter Alexis D. (Reineke) Francis, her mother Diane Howard, and nieces V. Lynn Williams, Marlene Hardy, and Sheryl Thume. Don was a Korean War veteran. He started his work career in Florida as a cargo/baggage handler for National Airlines, and enjoyed telling stories about those days. It's not every day you have to look for a loose boa constrictor in the cargo hold. He moved on to become regional cargo sales manager (for National and then Pan Am) and settled in the Middletown area. Eventually he became a Manager at F&M bank in Frederick and was part of the team that oversaw the then new ATMs.

One of Don's passions was Middletown Football. He was part of the group that started and coached the MVAA midget football program, and when those players became older, he was instrumental in helping establish the football program at Middletown High School (which up to that point had no program). For over 45 years, Don did all he could to support the program, and was still attended games, including last Friday night's game at Middletown.

Once his beloved wife Beverly died, he directed a lot of his time to genealogy. He was a regular Sherlock Holmes and helped scores of people and families trace their roots. He loved it. Don was a gregarious guy, and truly enjoyed getting together with folks, from old neighbors that would get together for periodic dinners out, to what he called his Thursday morning "coffee clutch". He would do anything for you if he could, and really was the epitome of a "nice guy". He was an avid student of history, loved a challenging crossword puzzle, enjoyed watching and listening to a good fiddle player, and relished observing nature in his yard. He will be sorely missed by not only his family, but by many in the Middletown area community. Friends may come by on Thursday, October 20 from 6-8p.m. at Donald B. Thompson Funeral Home, 31 E Main St. Middletown. Funeral service will be conducted at the Funeral Home on Friday, October 21 at 11 a.m. and he will be interred beside wife Beverly at the Christ Reformed Church Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to Middletown Valley Athletic Association, or the Middletown High School Sports Club. Donald Reineke