Orville P. Reinke

Orville P. Reinke, age 89 of Litchfield, MN died on Friday November 22, 2019 at the Meeker Memorial Hospital in Litchfield, MN. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM on Monday December 2, 2019 at the First Presbyterian Church in Litchfield. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 7:00 PM on Sunday, December 1, 2019 at Johnson-Hagglund Funeral and Cremation in Litchfield. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at church on Monday. Military Honors will be provided by the Litchfield Military Honor Guard. Interment will be held at the Lake Ripley Cemetery in Litchfield, MN at a later date. Orville Paul Adolph Reinke, the son of Albert and Marie (Lingren) Reinke was born on August 25, 1930 in Hutchinson, MN. He was baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church in Cedar Mills Township and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Acoma Township near Hutchinson. He received his education at District 82 McLeod County & District 82 Meeker County Schools. He attended Leadership School in Korea as a member of the U.S. Army. He achieved the rank of Corporal and served from August 13, 1948 to June 3, 1952. He also attended clerical, cook & Baker school at Fort Knox in Kentucky. He was united in marriage to Jeannette Weibel at Fort Riley, Kansas on September 14, 1950. They had 5 children and then divorced. He married Evelyn Watkins at First Presbyterian Church in Litchfield, MN on February 3, 1962. This marriage was blessed with 4 daughters. They shared over 52 years of marriage before Evelyn passed away on September 18, 2014. Orville worked for the Meeker County Highway Department and Pure Milk Products in Winsted. He then worked for the Minnesota Department of Transportation for over 31 years. He retired on June 5, 1990. Orville was a member of First Presbyterian in Litchfield. He loved this church, its members and pastor. He especially enjoyed when potlucks were held and was excited when deviled eggs were a part of it. He had a charismatic personality and loved telling jokes. He was often a helping hand to friends and neighbors. He enjoyed drinking coffee, gardening, fishing, spending time with family and friends, and watching the Minnesota Vikings, Twins, Gophers, and Timberwolves. He is survived by his four children from his first marriage Dwight (Mavis) Reinke, Cheryl (Kevin) Schiller, Tim (Cindy) Reinke and Cindy Pappas; four daughters from his second marriage Brenda (Chris) Tholkes of Fridley, MN, Laurie (Roger) Wersal of Hutchinson, MN, Coleen “Cookie” (Howard) Pelkey of Belgrade, MN and Tricia (Trent) McBride of Litchfield, MN; 14 grandchildren from his first marriage and four from his second marriage Danny Reinke, Kristopher Torkelson, Ryan Wersal and Trevor Wersal; several great grandchildren; brother Kenneth (Dorothy) Reinke, brothers-in-law Ray (Lorri) Watkins and Alvin Watkins and sister-in-law Dorothy Lindeman. Orville is also survived by several nieces, nephews and other relatives. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife Evelyn; son Steven; siblings Esther Slanga, Oscar “Smokey” Reinke, Lee Reinke, and Marion Linden; and three half-brothers Oliver, Nels and Victor Nordling. Also, preceded in death are brothers-in-law Donald, Harold, Maynard and Marvin Watkins.