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John D. Reynen

1937 - 2018

John D. Reynen obituary, 1937-2018, Sacramento, CA

BORN

1937

DIED

2018

John Reynen Obituary

John D. Reynen

Sacramento - (June 24, 1937 - June 17, 2018)

John Dale Reynen passed away on the morning of June 17, 2018 at his home in Sacramento surrounded by family. His birth and youth were in Hollandale, Minnesota, where he grew up on a potato and onion farm as the youngest of eight children. After graduating from Central College in Pella, Iowa, he moved to California to attend Stanford Law School. Following law school, he came to Sacramento to work for the California Division of Highways, focusing on eminent domain cases. Not entirely satisfied with the practice of law, he began to conduct real estate transactions in his after hours, initially investing in fourplexes with family friend Ed Purdy. Shortly thereafter, he left law practice and joined in partnership with Christo Bardis - a business union that would last half of a century. Around this time, his first marriage ended in divorce and he met his wife Judith, who would be the love of his life. In the ensuing decades, Reynen and Bardis and its various affiliated entities would build thousands of homes and develop thousands of acres, both in the greater Sacramento area and in northern Nevada.

In business, he was always one to empower others, seeking to hire the best people and set them free to do whatever they could. He was a leader who listened much more than he talked. He was said to have had an iron stomach - not just in the virtual imperviousness to motion sickness that made him a bold sailor and fisherman but in the astonishing calm with which he faced near personal financial ruin during the 2008 crash. In all aspects of his life, panic was unknown to him, and if fear ever entered his mind, he never acknowledged it to anyone else.

Over the years, he took up a myriad of leisure activities in succession: bridge, sailing, racquetball, scuba diving, golf, beer brewing, skiing and hunting around the world, and sport fishing, to name a few. In each he attained a substantial level of mastery, in some instances despite having a partially paralyzed leg. One example was his second-place finish in the 2006 Bisbee's Black & Blue, the world's largest marlin tournament. He and Judy also enjoyed traveling the world, especially via cruises, many of which included duplicate bridge as a bonus. One of their many recent cruises took them through the Panama Canal, which must have reminded him of a time four decades earlier when he sailed a small ketch from New York to San Francisco.

He provided sage advice on things big and small over a great breadth of topics to family members, friends and business colleagues. This genuine interest in and compassion towards others led to successful relationships both in and out of the office. John Reynen was an exceptional friend, partner, and father to many. With inspiration from his humble rural beginnings, he put a supreme value on education and provided scholastic financial assistance to many developing children and young adults. In many ways, he lived for his family, and he continued to relish their camaraderie even as his body failed him. He was there for them and they for him until the moment of his final breath.

He is survived by his wife Judy; son John L. "Jack" and his wife Miriam; son Christo John; daughter Leah "Dede"; stepson John and his wife Lesley; stepdaughter Laura and her husband Chris; brother Albert; sisters Betty, Bernice, Marge and Jane; and many grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents John Dirk and Pearl, his brother Bill, his sister Antoinette, and his stepson Matthew.

A memorial service will be held at the Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St., Sacramento, CA 95814 at 1:00 p.m. on Monday June 25, 2018.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Crocker Art Museum or to the Sacramento Children's Home.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Reno Gazette Journal and Lyon County News Leader from Jun. 22 to Jun. 24, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for John Reynen

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Kris Radovich

July 20, 2018

Very sorry for your loss, just found out the other day. Best Regards to the family

Romana Bracco

June 30, 2018

Judy, I am so sorry for your loss...what a privilege to have met him! May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow!
Romana Bracco

Bruce Walters

June 25, 2018

Very sorry to hear of John's passing.
Worked with him on many projects over the decades. A good guy in the business.
Will be missed.

June 25, 2018

Condolences to the Reynen Family, thank you for sharing a wonderful Man with all of us.
Chris and Mary Lou Sordi

Jim Territo

June 23, 2018

What a Great Man a good friend it was a Honor to meet and know you ,,,Iam Sorry for your loss The TruePatriarch of the Family ,John embodied that roll with class and dignity. I will always remember with Love and Honor

Patricia Pratt

June 23, 2018

You are in my thoughts.

June 23, 2018

I am so sorry for your loss. May you receive strength from God. "He will make you firm, he will make you strong, he will firmly ground you." - 1Peter 5:10

Nancy von Euw

June 22, 2018

My deepest condolences to your entire family. I will always have fond memories of Uncle John-every Christmas he would send a box of fancy California almonds to the Reynen families in Hollandale--we would open them as the collective large family and get to try one of each flavour--what a treat that was! And so every Christmas, Uncle John was always there in spirit.

Joyce Kouretas

June 21, 2018

My sincere condolences to Judy and the entire family. A truly genuine man who will be greatly missed.
Joyce Kouretas (Jimmy's sister)

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Memorial Events
for John Reynen

Jun

25

Memorial service

1:00 p.m.

Crocker Art Museum

216 O St., Sacramento, CA

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