Melvin Reinhart

Melvin Reinhart was born on April 27, 1922 in Carroll, Iowa, the son of Albert and Louise Reinhart. He was baptized in Carroll in 1922 and confirmed in the Catholic faith in Mt. Carmel, Iowa. He enjoyed life on the family farm with his two brothers Virgil and Ralph and two sisters Lois and Jean. He graduated from high school in Carroll, Iowa with the class of 1940. As a young man, he remained on the family farm, assisting his father. In his spare time, he enjoyed playing first baseman for the Mt. Carmel baseball team. On January 14, 1947 he was united in marriage to Frances Kathleen Riordan in Boone, Iowa. Five children were born to this union: Tom, (twins) Dave & Don, Diane and Mary. Melvin farmed near Breda, Iowa until 1976 when he and Kathleen moved to Carroll, Iowa where Melvin sold Federal Crop Insurance. In 1983, he and Kathleen moved to Granite Falls, Minnesota. Melvin worked in automotive inventory management at Kollen Motors until his retirement in 1995. Melvin was a devoted husband, loving father, grandfather and great grandfather. He enjoyed spending time with his family, reading, fishing, gardening, taking walks and golfing. He was a member of the Granite Falls Country Club for many years and served as a board member on the St. Andrew Catholic Cemetery Board. On Tuesday morning, January 6, 2009, Melvin was called from this life while at home. He was 86 years of age. Surviving family include his wife-Kathleen of Granite Falls; his children-Tom (& Becky) Reinhart of Panora, IA; Dave (& Margaret) Reinhart of Guthrie Center, IA; Don (& Rhonda) Reinhart of Guthrie Center, IA; Diane (& Ron) Fagen of Granite Falls and Mary (& Dick) Kollen also of Granite Falls; 13 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren; his sisters-Lois (& Vernon) Boes of Minnetonka and Jean (& Urban) Knobbe of Carroll, IA; one sister-in-law, Marie Reinhart of Walford IA; and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding Melvin in death were his parents and two brothers.