Eugene Reinke

Eugene Reinke, 76, of Oshkosh, Nebraska passed away early Wednesday morning, March 31, 2021 at the Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff.

Memorial services will be held at 10:00 a.m. MST, Friday, April 16, 2021 at the Oshkosh Community Wesleyan Church in Oshkosh with Pastor Bruce Neal.  Burial with military honors will be held at 3:00 p.m. CST at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell, Nebraska.

The memorial service in Oshkosh will be live streamed on the Holechek-Bondegard Funeral Home Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/hbfunerals).

Holechek-Bondegard Funeral Home and Cremations in Oshkosh is serving the Reinke family.

Memorials in Gene’s name can be made to the Oshkosh Wesleyan Church or to the donor’s choice.

Eugene “Gene” Donald Reinke was born on Sunday, October 29, 1944, in Deshler, NE, to Julius and Opal (Harms) Reinke, the second of their six children.  He was baptized on November 19, 1944, and confirmed on March 22, 1959, at St. Paul Lutheran Church of Byron.  He attended District 96 rural school through the 8^th grade and graduated with the class of 1962 from Byron High School.  Shortly after graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve, completing his basic training at Fort Jackson, SC, and advanced training at Fort Polk, LA.

A teenager and young adult during the “muscle car” years, Gene enjoyed cars all his life, with current projects that included a ’55 Buick and a ’37 Chevy flatbed pickup. He was a teaser and a jokester and he loved to laugh. He enjoyed friendly debates on almost any topic, was compassionate to those less fortunate, and was always ready to help where needed.  His strong, unshakeable Christian faith was central to his life and served as his guide in all he did. After completing studies at Charis Bible College in 2010, he took great pride and pleasure in pastoring in interim capacities at area churches, leading Bible studies, and teaching Sunday School. Career-wise, he farmed with his father for several years and was an over-the-road trucker for a time, but the majority of his work was dominated by carpentry:  portrait framing at an Omaha art gallery, building cabinets and homes, and bridge and highway construction.  It was a highway construction project that brought Gene to western Nebraska and to Oshkosh, a community he loved from his first visit and made his home during his final years on earth. He lived with diabetes most of his adult life and managed it quite successfully. Only in his last few days did complications develop that he could not overcome. On March 31, 2021, at the age of 76 years, he transitioned to his forever home in Heaven.

Gene is survived by his daughters Deborah and husband Kirk Huryta and their sons Keegan and Karson of Kearney, and Rebecca Reinke of McClelland, IA. Also left to cherish his memory, whom he loved as his own children, are Shasta (Patrick) Savoie of Omaha, Stephanie (John) Howard of Lewisville, TX, Monte Fast Horse (Brandi Garrison) Reinke of Ponder, TX, and Megan (Sam Mills) Reinke of Atlantic, IA, and their children and grandchildren. Gene is also survived by siblings: brother Mark of Fort Collins, CO, sisters Joyce (Dennis) Schmidt of Deshler, Beverly (Roger) Mathiesen of Kearney, Janice Reinke of Tulsa, OK, and sister-in-law Mary Reinke of Dublin, CA, and their families, a large extended family, and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Glenn, and niece Hali. May they rest in peace.