Thomas J. Reinhart

Thomas John Reinhart, 77, passed away Tuesday, May 20th at Aurora Hospital, Green Bay, WI. He passed peacefully with his family at his side. Tom was born on September 17, 1947, to Dr. Norbert and Bernice (Fleck) Reinhart. He grew up in De Pere, Manitowoc, and Green Bay, WI graduating with the Premontre High School class of 1965. Soon after high school and with encouragement from music teacher Dewey Rossman, he enlisted in the U. S. Navy serving as a musician, mostly in the Navy Band at Newport. RI. He married Meridith McCullough in South Kingstown, RI on September 12, 1970.

Following service, Tom returned to Green Bay for a year where he worked and also played tuba with the Whoopee Norm Edelbeck and his Dairyland Dutchmen polka band before moving back out east. Tom and Meridith relocated frequently over the following years, living in various cities in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Ohio prior to settling in Connecticut where they raised their three sons. In 2004 they moved from Enfield, CT to Mountlake Terrace, WA, a suburb of Seattle. They retired and moved to Green Bay in 2018. Tom was employed in the restaurant industry all his working life as a manager for Howard Johnson’s, Chi-Chi’s, El Torito, Pizzeria Uno, Hometown Buffet, and Panera Bread where he enjoyed long-lasting friendships with fellow workers.

Among many hobbies, Tom enjoyed model trains, constructing model ships from scratch, and home remodeling projects. He also assisted Meridith in maintaining her extensive collection of memorabilia from the movie ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Tom was also an avid bicyclist who enjoyed scenic and distance rides around the country.

Tom will be sadly missed by his three sons, Max (Keri Spezzano) Reinhart, Samuel (Jennifer) Reinhart, and Benjamin Reinhart; four grandchildren, Myles Williams, Wren Reinhart, Riley Reinhart and Mitchell Reinhart; brother, Mark Reinhart; and sister, Elsa Reinhart.

In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by his wife of 5 decades, Meridith; sister, Mary (Reinhart) Schall; father and mother-in-law, Norman and Mary (Arendell) McCullough; and three brothers-in-law, Norman Jr., Thomas, and Bruce McCullough.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Tom's name to the De Pere Historical Society, where his brother Mark Reinhart has been a long-time board member and historian. https:www.deperehistory.org