Ernest Tony Antone Reinhard

Ernest “Tony” Reinhard, Jr. of Maple Valley, Washington, passed away on January 31, 2015, after suffering a traumatic head injury as the result of a fall from the top of his boat earlier in the week. He was 54 years old.

Tony was born on May 17, 1960, to Ernest Reinhard, Sr. and Virginia Reinhard (Perkins) in Renton, Washington. Tony grew up on a farm in Kent for most of his childhood, and later moved to Kettle Falls, and then to a home on Lake Sawyer with his father after his parents divorced. He graduated from Tahoma High School in 1978.

After high school, Tony spent a period of time at Central Washington University, before returning to work for his father, Ernie, in his truck stop and commercial fueling business. However, Tony always had the entrepreneurial drive, and during the 1980’s, he bought a small gas station in Auburn. This tiny gas station was the impetus for future businesses, most notable of which was Reinhard Petroleum, a petroleum wholesale and transportation company that he started with his wife, Lisa, after their marriage in June of 1990.

Tony was actively involved in the lives of his two sons, Thomas and Ernest “Trey” Reinhard III, who were born in 1993 and 1996, respectively. Despite his busy business life, he always made time to coach soccer and baseball, and be at every meet, game, or other event that the boys had. He was not only a father to his own boys, but to their many friends as well, who spent nearly every weekend at the Reinhard home. In 2009, Tony and Lisa decided to sell their main company. It was in these last years that Tony became focused not only on his own personal growth, but on helping others pursue their own personal goals. Ultimately, Tony believed in others more than they believed in themselves—He was always positive, upbeat, and always willing to help a friend in any sort of “challenge” they may have. He will not only be missed by his own family, but by an entire community of people of whom he has uplifted and encouraged during his short 54 years.

Tony is preceded in death by his mother, Virginia Reinhard, and is survived by his wife of nearly 25 years, Lisa, their two sons Thomas (21—Pepperdine University) and Trey (18—committed to Clark College to play baseball) of Maple Valley, his sister Kathy and her husband Gary of Gig Harbor, her children Rheannon and Aaron and their respective spouses and children, his brother Don and his wife Monica and their son JayDe of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and his father, Ernest “Ernie” Reinhard, Sr. of Federal Way.

A memorial service will be held at New Life Church (of which Tony was a member for 20 years) on Saturday, February 7th, at 11am. 15717 152nd Ave SE, Renton, WA 98058. The service will also be live streamed at the following web address: https://new.livestream.com/nlchurch/tonyreinhard

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to Network of Caring, Life Center Northwest, which helped with his organ donation process at the very end of Tony’s life, or to CaringBridge.org, which helped us communicate during Tony’s brief stay in the hospital.

The family also wishes to give thanks to Harborview Medical Center, specifically the staff in the Trauma ICU Unit for the excellent care they provided during Tony’s short stay.