Orvil W. Reinke

Orvil William Reinke was born in rural Byron, NE to John and Minnie (Meyer) Reinke on October 16, 1931. He passed away on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at the age of 92 years in Fairbury, NE.  Orvil was baptized October 25, 1931, at St. John’s Lutheran Church of Byron, NE and confirmed April 14, 1946.

Orvil went to school through the eighth grade at a country school called the ‘cracker box’.  Orvil immediately became a wage earner, working in a lumber yard with his uncle Bill delivering coal and lumber for several years.

In May 1952, while Orvil was working on a pipeline construction in New Mexico, his parents called him and told him he had been drafted into the Korean War and needed to come home to Byron.  Orvil spent eight weeks of basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.  After basic training, he went to combat engineer specialist school at Fort Leonard Wood with the 6th Armor Division, then on to California to board a ship for a trip to Germany then on to France.   This voyage took 30 days through the Panama Canal where the seas were rough, and many soldiers became ill.    Orvil arrived at Bremerhaven, Germany where all soldiers and materials were loaded on a train bound for Tulle, France.

In France, Orvil worked as a tractor scraper operator.  Living conditions consisted of living in crude wooden-like tent structures.   Corporal Reinke was discharged May 7, 1954, and returned to New York on the U.S.S. General Harry Taylor where they docked near the statue of Liberty.    Orvil said it was a great feeling to see the statue of Liberty where he reunited with his parents who drove from Nebraska to pick him up.  Once home Orvil began building houses with his father.

He met his wife, Doris (Naiman) Reinke, at the Jefferson County Fair where he asked to take her on the Tilt-A-Whirl.    They were married on September 18, 1955, and built their first home in Hebron, NE, so Doris could be close to her work at the Hebron courthouse.

Orvil continued to construct houses and lived in Hebron, NE, until 1970 when they moved to the Fairbury community.   Over the course of his construction career Orvil built approximately 283 houses and remodeled countless other homes.   Orvil drew his own blueprints and dug his own basements with his caterpillar that he cherished.

Orvil was a charter member of Faith Lutheran Church of Fairbury, NE where he constructed and served as foreman for the building of the church in 1991.

Orvil and Doris enjoyed traveling and camping.  Orvil was known for his hard-working nature, sense of humor, being onery, and his love of animals.  One day Orvil came home and told Doris “Guess what I got the girls today”, she thought it was probably a goat, but it was a little Shetland pony named Red.

Orvil’s legacy lives on through his wife, Doris, of sixty-eight years; daughters, Jeanette Bessler, Beatrice NE, Lisa Specht, Fairbury, NE, Lori (Steve) King, Topeka, KS; grandchildren, Jenna (Terry) Carlock, Jake (Kassi) Bessler, Kayla (Cody) Sodowsky, Tanner Specht, and girlfriend Rayna Butterfield; special friend of the family Jody Shuck (Joanna) and their son Dennis.  Great Grandchildren, Rilynne and Whitlee Bessler, and baby Sodowsky arriving in May 2024; sisters, Eunice (Doug) Horrocks, Jodi (Bill) Jones; brother, Lester (Kathy) Reinke; sister-in-law Lavon Reinke.   He is preceded in death by his parents and siblings: brother – Louis Reinke, sister – Francis Ludwig, brother – Lawrence Reinke, sister – Irene Gibson and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Services will be Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Fairbury. You may view and sign the book  Monday the 26th from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.  at the Funeral Home. Memorials will go to the Family’s Choice. Gerdes-Meyer Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements. www.gerdesmeyerfh.com