John Reist Obituary

Dr. John Reist Jr., Ph.D., 76 Of Hillsdale, MI Dr. John S. Reist Jr., Ph.D., age 76, , passed away Thursday, November 1, 2012. He was born March 6, 1936 in Chester, PA to John S. and Marion (Miller) Reist. John was a graduate of Chester High School (1953). Funeral service will be November 6, 2012 2 PM at Holy Trinity Parish, Hillsdale, MI. Visitation will be November 5, 2012 5 to 8 PM at VanHorn-Eagle Funeral Home, Hillsdale, MI. For a full obituary visit www.eaglefuneralhomes.com

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Published by The Daily Times from Nov. 2 to Nov. 3, 2012.

Memories and Condolences
for John Reist

9 Entries

Chris Greene

December 11, 2018

John Reist was a great man. One of the best I've had the pleasure to know. I had a class on western religion with him during my first semester at Hillsdale College, and he told interminable jokes and stories that seemed meaningless. My roommate at the time and I went to talk to him about it, frustrated at the lack of real learning I thought was going on. When I graduated four years later (and now, for that matter), I still remembered the things that seemed so simple and mundane. And as I learned more about the world, they grew increasingly profound. He was a wise man, filled with both profound joy and immense wisdom. I wish I could have known him better, but I'm sure he's in good hands now.

Mary Wheeler

March 19, 2013

John Reist was a major influence on my life as a student at NCC in the 70's. He was my advisor and as such supported me both academically and emotionally during my tenure. I remember two things vividly. I lost my father during the summer between my sophomore and junior year. I decided to quit school. About a week after I let John know my plans, there was a knock at my front door in Oak Park. There stood John with Bill Naumann and Leila Rumbaugh. They came to try to convince me to come back to NCC for my junior year. It worked. Then, one early morning in my senior year John called my apartment after learning that my dear friend had been killed in a car accident the night before. He asked if I could come in at 7:00 a.m. to meet with him. He did that because he didn't want me to hear this news in some errant way walking through the campus. John constantly acted in the best interest of his students and his colleagues. God bless him. Oh, and he didn't even mind it that we gave him "Priest Reist" for a nickname!!!

Terry Heller

March 16, 2013

I've just learned of John Reist's death in the North Central College alumni news. Though we lost contact with each other after he left NCC, John was a very important person in my life, while I was studying there and after. I remember his enthusiasm and humor in the classroom. I admired his intellectual rigor and moral integrity. Especially important to me was his advice and support as I struggled with my conscience about the morality of military service during the Vietnam War. I remember him as a good and kind man. I am so glad to read in his obituary and in this guestbook about the richness of his life and of how he touched the lives of so many others. I want to thank his family for sharing him with me and the many others he served so selflessly, and I want to wish you well. Terry Heller (NCC 1969) – theller at coe dot edu)

Signe Skoglund Prince

March 13, 2013

I was deeply saddened to read of John's passing in the NCC Alumni magazine. He was a dear friend of my parents, Hank and Nonie Skoglund, and brought laughter to our house during the 3:00 coffee visits. My heartfelt sympathies to his family.

Signe Skoglund Prince, Arizona

Matthew Smallwood

December 27, 2012

Dr. John Reist was like a torch in a very dark night - wherever he went, the Logos was sure to be discussed in a manner that somehow left one more reverent of all good things, yet more grown up and less naive at the same time. You are gone, sir, but you are never forgotten. May his family remember him, and tell stories of his life, which was a greater Life, as long as human memory lasts.

November 6, 2012

Dr. Reist was a fine personal friend and will be missed by all. He was such an asset to all who knew him. Godspeed my friend. Dorothy Swan

Zachary Klumpp

November 3, 2012

Dr. Reist was my favorite professor at Hillsdale College. Every class I took with him, he was so full of energy, humor, and passion. We often followed wild and winding tangents in discussions, but Dr. Reist was always able to show us how everything and every part of life is connected. Though we never did find out the true story of how he met his wife :), it was always clear that his family was his greatest treasure on earth. He will always be fondly remembered by myself and all his students. Our prayers and condolences are with Mrs. Reist and their family. We know he lives with Christ our Lord forever.

Steve DeGangi

November 3, 2012

I am very sorry that we have lost the Rev. John Reist. I had the pleasure of serving as a fellow minister with John in the south central Michigan area. I was a new minister to that area in 2007 and Dr. Reist served on my ordination council. We visited some together after I came to the area and I am saddened that his life ended too early. I would like to express my sympathy to his family.

Rev. Steve DeGangi
Peterson, Iowa

Christina

November 3, 2012

When I was in Dr. Reist's English 101 class at Hillsdale, he asked me to revise my first paper. We met in his office and he told me what he expected. Then he said, "If you do all that and give me $50 you'll get a better grade." So I revised the paper and when I handed it in, attached a voided $50 check. He laughed out loud and said nobody had ever done that before. I went into his office at some point the next year and he still had the check in there.

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