Manfred Reinhardt

Manfred "Max" Reinhardt passed away on the evening of February 13, 2025, at the age of 94. Born in Augsburg, Germany on February 7, 1931, he spent his early childhood with his parents, his sister Ann, grandparents, uncles and cousins. As the Third Reich increased its hostilities toward the Jewish population of Germany, Max escaped the atrocities that would follow with his mother, father, sister and uncle in 1937. Max always grieved for his family that could not escape, as well as the many, many others that perished in the Holocaust.

The family arrived first in New York City and then settled in Richmond, Virginia, where he would attend John Marshall High School and enlist in the US Marines. Max achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant, serving as an electrician, cartographer and later a military police officer. After completing his tour, the GI Bill allowed him to attend Richmond Professional Institute (now Virginia Commonwealth University) and the Medical College of Virginia, finishing third in his pharmacy school class. As a registered pharmacist, he was the first pharmacist at Standard Drug Store in Waynesboro, Virginia, managing the pharmacy for more than 30 years. Despite numerous retirement proclamations, he continued his work as a consultant pharmacist well past normal retirement age before finally allowing fishing to become his primary occupation. He and his wife, Sylvia, retired to Florida. They first lived in Marathon and then Lake Wales while maintaining their unique summer residence, the Lyndhurst, Virginia, train station.

Fishing was his favorite pastime, either casting for trout in the waters of the Tye River, Bull Pasture River, Back Creek or Sherando Lake or pulling snapper from the Atlantic Ocean from his boat in his beloved home in Marathon. Fish were never safe when Max had a rod and reel in hand.

He had an inability to sit still, except when he slept in a recliner in front of the TV. A consummate "putterer", he constantly yearned to learn and do more, whether repairing any and everything, building various gadgets and contraptions, or cooking still another fantastic dish or dessert, Max was always up for a new challenge and to master something new.

He was preceded in death by his parents Hans and Regina. He is survived by his wife of thirty-two years, Sylvia. He is also survived by his four children; Stephen, Robbin (Michael), John (Kim), and Gary (Tammy). He had seven grandchildren who adored and revered him: Chesney, David, Thomas, Lindsay, Daniel, Claudia and Alex. He had six (soon to be eight) great-grandchildren. His sister Ann Richmon and her husband Sidney greatly mourn him, along with their children and grandchildren. Max had two stepsons, Brett and Derek (Ann-Marie), as well as his step-grandson, Philip.



An interment service will be held at Emek Sholom Holocaust Memorial Cemetery on March 16, 2024, at 11 a.m. followed by a funeral service at the Weinstein JCC at 1 p.m. that day. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions in Max's memory be made to the Temple House of Israel, P.O. Box 1412, Staunton, Virginia 24402 https://thoi.org/donate/