Verne Reuben Reinmuth

May 18, 1926 - May 13, 2020

Our Dad…He's the Best

He grew with two sisters and a mom and a dad,

In spite of challenges, he became quite a lad.

His experiences became stories we kids loved to hear

And then turned to chronicles for all with an ear.

Dispatching power in LA, Dad turned on the lights!

Then continued in Eugene where he soared to great heights.

Dad worked very hard to provide food, clothes, and shelter

And every summer a fun travel adventure.

One had to search long for something Dad couldn't do

He remodeled houses, fixed TVs, and made go-carts, too!

We had quite a childhood because of Dad's gleanings

Old wheelchairs for races; even mattress trampolinings.

Dad had words with Mom often, about all those books.

He wanted fewer, she wanted more, with book nooks.

No end, it seemed, to his projects galore,

Fixing clocks, building bookshelves, life was never a bore.

Couldn't let Dad catch us on Saturday mornings

In front of the TV, or we'd get some strong warnings!

"Go outside!" he'd say, "Don't just sit there and stare!

It's a beautiful day to get some fresh air!"

On Sundays after church where Dad ran sound and taping,

He was sawing logs with headphones to a pipe organ, napping.

A heart for God and others to know Him

Brought tears to Dad's eyes when he shared how he showed them.

Dad often "defeated" what to him seemed nonsensical

And prided himself when he'd been instrumental.

Mom moved to heaven in 2010, what a jolt!

Dad faced a new challenge he couldn't fix with a bolt.

On top of grieving, he learned to cook—sort of,

Appreciation grew for his wife, his first love.

Dad moved to a place he jokingly called "prison."

Ways to serve and be useful there had arisen.

New ears to hear his grandiose stories

And his help and good health…well, he was in glory.

The years turned to ten since Mom moved from this place

Dad made the best of it, knowing he'd finish his race.

His health, even though he could still get around,

Was no longer allowing him to bike, ski, or bound.

He divulged he was ready to join Mom in Heaven,

But still did what he could with the breath that was in him.

With a fall he was made to move from the "prison,"

Health issues crept up as did quarantined isolation.

Family love brought him out and back into our life

When he moved in with daughter and again started to thrive

People came to visit enjoying Dominoes and Checkers

Dad won most of the games and was still known as a heckler.

Earthly life ended quick and without goodbye

With family here loving him, he left with a sigh.

We know where he went—he ran to the Father

God lavishes love on His kids as no other!

Dad is now with Mom, too, and so many gone before

They've passed on to us a legacy worth so much more

Than they could've imagined was ever in store.

Now it's our turn to shine, to reflect the love

That came down to our hearts from our Father above.

So much more could be penned about Dad, no debate

I hope you can see that he's pretty great!

Verne Reuben Reinmuth was born to Park K. and Ruby Marie (Woodmansee) Reinmuth on May 18, 1926, in Los Angeles, California. Verne served in the Navy in Pearl Harbor for two years. He married Bertha "Bertie" Harriet McLaughlin on June 12, 1949. The couple lived in Rosemead, California, and Verne worked as an Electric Power System Load Dispatcher at the Department of Water and Power in Los Angeles, until they moved to Lane County, Oregon, in May of 1978, where he worked with Eugene Water and Electric Board. He retired from EWEB in 1984, but always found plenty to keep him busy. He and Mom enjoyed vacations and created very memorable adventures for the family. Verne ran sound at nearly every church they attended, built or added onto houses in which the family was living, worked on cars, bought and sold items of interest, told stories, visited with anyone who would, and fixed things for people (who nicknamed him "Mr. Fix-It") with clocks being his specialty. Verne passed away on May 13, 2020, just 5 days before his 94 ^th birthday.

He has three children: Chris (and Diane) Reinmuth of Wilsonville, Kathleen (and Doug) Jacobson of Roseburg, and Steve (and ZoAnn) Reinmuth of Eugene. Grandchildren are Jennelle (and Phil) Mason, Alonna (and Dan) Schrenk, Julie Waldman, Cristina (and Matthew) Cherry, Melanie (and Rich) Fuller, Natalie (and Joel) Mulkey, and Dez Reinmuth. Great Grandchildren are Zoey, Jake, and Kyla Ralston; Adelyn and Nathan Schrenk; Levi and Micah Cherry; Liana and Malia Fuller; Garrett and Tobin Mulkey.

Although Verne was almost 94, he looked and acted remarkably younger than that. He was in his 70's the last time he water skied and 90 the last time he rode a 2-wheeled bike. He enjoyed needling people and telling stories from his past. He was known for his witty Christmas letter writing and his goofy, nonsensical birthday cards some of us were fortunate to receive. He made an impression on his environment—some didn't appreciate his unique sense of humor, but when it and the stories slowed down due to memory issues he developed, we really missed it.

Verne lived with Kathleen and Doug for the last weeks of his life and enjoyed watching the activities on the property and time with the family who came to visit, the last being three days before his passing, where he came outside with us and ate a hamburger, potato salad, and a S'More that was roasted on a bonfire and delivered to him. He was on oxygen due to pneumonia, so that inhibited him a bit, but we did exercises everyday and he was increasing in strength. The next gathering was to be on the next Saturday where family was going to come to celebrate his birthday.

He and Mom are now buried at the Melrose Cemetery in Roseburg, Oregon. Services will be held in Wilsonville, in Eugene, and in Roseburg, dates to be determined.