Helen Z. Reinhold

1931 - 2017

Helen Zito Reinhold, who was a beloved teacher at Valle Vista Elementary School in Rancho Cucamonga for several decades, has died after a brief illness. She was 86.

Helen was born February 19, 1931 in Bangor, Pennsylvania, the second child of Nicholas Alfonso Zito and Rose (Renaldo) Zito. She was born at home in Bangor and graduated from Bangor High School in 1948, where she was a popular student, worked on the yearbook and magazine staffs, was one of the leads in the school play, and played the glockenspiel in the band. The blurb under her name in her high school yearbook was spot-on and prescient: “Calm, cool, collected – that’s “Zeet,” whose friendliness and cheerfulness have won her numerous friends at school. Her scholastic achievement plus her tall and dignified personality will make her an efficient school teacher. The band will miss her cooperative spirit.” Her pet hate as listed in the yearbook -- cracking knuckles – continued through her life, and her children delighted in knowing how to instantly get on her nerves.



She attended State Teachers College at East Stroudsburg (now East Stroudsburg University), and worked summers as a waitress and as a lifeguard at the community pool.

She graduated from college in 1952 and started her teaching career in Allentown PA, where she met her future husband, William H. Reinhold, a Lehigh University engineering graduate and veteran of both WWII and Korea. Helen and Bill had four children and followed his engineering career to Detroit and then Southern California. The family, by then with four children, lived in Riverside, Redlands, and finally Upland. Helen was the consummate mother, shepherding her flock of four children, breaking up sibling squabbles, driving to Little League and Brownies, and cooking incredible meals on a shoestring for the family of six. She was widely lauded as an extraordinary home cook for her whole life, and was known to be so exacting in her baking that she would repeat a Bundt cake 10 times, week after week, changing the formula slightly each time until she got it exactly the way she wanted. Her family, of course, was delighted to eat the experiments. Her former daughter-in-law credits Helen with introducing her early in their relationship to olive oil and biscotti (“I love both today!”), and Helen’s kitchen prowess inspired her own daughter, who is a recipe developer and food writer.

Bill died in 1974 and Helen immediately rose to the challenge of supporting the family of four teenagers, returning to her teaching career. She taught 1st grade at Valle Vista Elementary School in Rancho Cucamonga for several decades until her retirement. She was a calm, experienced voice in the classroom, and took pride in guiding many of the younger teachers on staff. Although she became legally blind, Helen spent her golden years in Southern California actively and in good health. She was a goodwill ambassador at her assisted living facility in Rancho Cucamonga the past few years and was a mentor to many of the staff there. Helen died after a brief illness on August 13, 2017 at her home.

Helen is survived by her four children: William Reinhold of Rensselaer, NY and his wife Joanne Rector; Dorothy Reinhold of Malibu, CA and her husband Andrew Shaner; Stephen Reinhold of Los Gatos, CA; and Lawrence Reinhold of Jericho, NY and his wife Lisa Reinhold.

She was devoted to her grandchildren, and delighted in being “the reading Grandma,” introducing wonderful books and encouraging a love of reading. She also savored being the grandmother who would insist on serving nutritious hot oatmeal for breakfast, but let the grandkids sneak a scoop of vanilla ice cream to top it. She is survived by her seven grandchildren: Allie Reinhold of Rensselaer, NY; Katie Reinhold and Nick Reinhold of Malibu, CA; Elena Reinhold of Austin, TX; Emily Reinhold of San Francisco, CA; Philip Reinhold of New Haven, CT and Jacob Reinhold of Baltimore, MD.

She is also survived by her sister, Doris Zito Bednarczyk of Bellmawr, NJ, and by her brother, Leonard Zito of Bangor, PA.

A celebration of Helen's life will be held on Friday, September 29, 2017 at Atria Del Rey, 8825 Baseline Road, Rancho Cucamonga CA 91730. All who knew her are welcome; get details by emailing DReinhold@aol.com. A private memorial will also be held in the Bangor, PA area at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, her children request contributions be made in her memory to Teach For America (www.teachforamerica.org).