Richard (Dick) Kyle Reinhardt, 73, a man with a wonderful smile and an unmatched sense of humor, passed away on March 28, 2016 at home in Scottsdale, AZ with his wife, Jo Ann, after an 11-month battle with metastatic melanoma.
Dick was born in Cleveland, on July 15, 1942, and was preceded in death by his parents, John William Reinhardt, 96, and Evelyn Mae (Russell) Reinhardt, 93.
In addition to his wife, Jo Ann, Dick will be missed by his son, Kyle Russell Reinhardt who retired as a Lt Colonel in the Air Force and is now working in Washington DC; his daughter, Kristin Reinhardt Webb (Doug) and her three daughters, Reilly, Stacey, & Katy from Virginia Beach, VA; his sister, Pat Rigsby (Gene) from Mentor; his step-son, Barry Rahal; step-daughter, Cheryl Rahal (Bryan Neidigh); grandchildren, Reanne & Samuel; his ex-wife, Barbara Vraa (Cal); and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and other family members.
Dick attended North & South High Schools in Willoughby, participating in Varsity Track and Wrestling, graduating from South in 1960. Dick then attended Bowling Green State University (BGSU) where he further pursued his passion for wrestling as a member of the BGSU varsity team. In addition to his academic and athletic pursuits, he was active in the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and a member of the Inter Fraternity Council and Arnold Air Society. As a senior, Dick served as Cadet Commander for the resident US Air Force ROTC Detachment. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force.
Dick started pilot training in July 1964 (Class 66-C, Laredo, TX), married Barbara in Dec, and completed pilot training in 1965. He was assigned to the KC135 Stratotanker Squadron at Bunker Hill/Grissom AFB, Indiana where for the next five years his squadron’s primary mission was to support supersonic B-58 Hustler strategic bombers on around-the-clock alert during the height of the Cold War. During this period, he also deployed to Guam, the U.K., and Thailand/Vietnam in support of US military operations in Southeast Asia.
His next assignment was to Castle AFB, Merced, CA, for three years where he was a KC-135 instructor pilot and flight examiner. He then took a career broadening opportunity and headed up to Murphy Dome Air Force Station, AK to support the 744th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron in their mission to monitor the skies over the US Arctic. After Alaska, it was off to Grand Forks AFB, ND, where he served as the 905th Tanker Squadron Operations Officer for three years. He often said this was the favorite position he held in his career. After North Dakota, in 1979, he was assigned to Strategic Air Command (SAC) Headquarters in Omaha, NE, as Chief of the Airborne Battle Staff on the SAC Airborne Command Post called the “Looking Glass”. When his tour to SAC HQ was over, he was then assigned to Wurtsmith AFB, MI, as the commander of the 920th Air Refueling Squadron. In 1984, he went to Kunsan Air Base, Korea on a one year remote tour as the Deputy Commander for Resources (DCR) in the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. His last assignment was to Barksdale AFB, LA, again as the DCR in the 2nd Bomb Wing. He retired in May 1988 in the rank of full Colonel. After serving 24 years in the Air Force, Dick took a position at the Northwest Airlines Training Center “NATCO” in MN overseeing training in the DC 9 simulator until retiring in 1997.
In his mid-life, Dick “reconnected” and subsequently married the “love of his life”, Jo Ann Demshar in August 1993. Jo Ann, a childhood/family & high school friend, retired from Microsoft and moved to Minneapolis to begin their life together. In 1997, when Dick retired from NWA, they moved to Reno, NV to begin their retirement adventures, becoming grandparents and then “snowbirds” moving between Reno and Scottsdale, cruising with friends and traveling often to visit with friends and family. Dick often declared to Jo Ann, “How could we be so lucky?” What an extraordinary life Dick led, filled with accomplishments and a great love for his family. He was so full of life and fun and energy; it’s hard to imagine the world without him. Dick was one of those people who made you smile just thinking about him – he brought happiness and kindness with him always. Dick is greatly missed by all by all who knew & loved him.
Celebration of Life Service will held on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Willoughby, 4785 Shankland Rd., Willoughby, Ohio 44094. Contributions to the Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014 or a Hospice of your choice in Dick’s memory would be appreciated.
