Kevin Reinarts passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester on May 24, 2022. Kevin was surrounded by loved ones during his last moments. Before leaving earth, Kevin gave the gift of organ and tissue donation, a heroic act that took place in the early morning hours of May 27, 2022.
A memorial visitation will be held from 5 – 8 p.m. on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home-SOUTH Chapel in New Ulm. Graveside service will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at Home Cemetery in Sleepy Eye, where Kevin will be laid to rest near his son, Jeremy.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
To leave an online condolence for his family, or sign the online guestbook, go to: www.mvfh.org.
Kevin Joseph Reinarts was born September 15, 1963 to Lester and Gladys (Haala) Reinarts in Sleepy Eye. Kev was the sixth of eight total Reinarts children. He grew up in a very close family that emphasized the importance of togetherness, something that would continue his whole life. His siblings were his best friends.
Kev was enrolled at both Sleepy Eye Public and Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s schools, but his best subject was not attendance. His life lessons came from his dad, his experiences, and the missteps that come with young adulthood. He loved playing various sports in his younger years, and he often recalled one of the best times of his life as being a hockey coach for Jeremy’s hockey teams. Many former players from Sleepy Eye attribute their ability to play and love the sport of hockey to Coach Kev.
Kev’s greatest joys came in 1981 with the birth of his son, Jeremy Joseph, and again in 1985 with his daughter, Amanda Marie. Fatherhood was undoubtedly his proudest role in life, and he lived for his children. The most important thing to Kevin was family and being around those he loved most. Losing his dad, his son at such an unexpected time, and most recently his mother, shook Kevin’s faith, but never his love for family. One of the greatest additions to his family came with long-time girlfriend, Tammy and her daughter, Macy.
He spent much of his time outdoors, whether it be hunting, fishing, boating, grilling, four-wheeling, or just enjoying a cold beer. A large part of his life was also working, and he spent the last 37 years as an operator for Mathiowetz Construction. The rare times he was stuck indoors he watched hunting and fishing shows and spent his entire life as a devoted but often disappointed Minnesota sports fan. Kevin loved bantering with his many friends and family about many things, but mostly sports. He was inexplicably a Patriots fan, a contentious point between him and his Vikings-loving daughter.
Kevin is survived by his daughter, Amanda Reinarts; girlfriend, Tammy Schenk and her daughter Macy Schenk; grandson, Wyatt Reinarts; seven siblings, Gail (Mark) Bertrand, Sheri (Dale) Tjernagel, Shirley (Ed) Hornick, Doug (Deb Seidl) Reinarts, Randy (Deb) Reinarts, Scott (Darla) Reinarts, and Janelle (Terry) Kopacek; 21 nieces and nephews he adored; and many, many more family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Gladys Reinarts; and his son, Jeremy Reinarts.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to Sleepy Eye EMS, the Sleepy Eye Medical Center, the American Legion, or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
www.mvfh.org
