Donald R Reinhard

Don Reinhard was born in Dover, NJ and largely grew up in Miami, FL where he met Mary Helen at Coral Gables High School. In 1959, he graduated from the United States Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY, commissioned in the Army’s Air Defense Artillery, and married Mary Helen. His first assignment was to a Nike Ajax Air Defense Battery protecting U.S. nuclear weapons production at the Hanford Site near Richland, WA. In 1964, he completed his master’s degree in electrical engineering (New Mexico State University) and then taught in USMA’s Ordnance Department until 1967. He served in Vietnam (1967-68) first as Executive Officer, 191st Ordnance Battalion (Ammunition) and then as the Ammunition Officer, 24th Corps G4 (Logistics) Staff. He commanded the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant, Parsons, Kansas (‘69-‘70) and completed the Command and General Staff College(’70-71). Don was assigned to the Army Headquarters on Okinawa, Japan (’71-’75) serving the Secretary of the General Staff (3 years) and then commanding the Ammunition Storage Activity (1 year). On Okinawa, he was heavily involved with the Boy Scouts as Scoutmaster, Troop 105 and the Okinawa District Committee; the Far East Council recognized his service with Silver Beaver Award in 1975. He was subsequently assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Army Materiel Command, Alexandria, VA; Commanded the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Middletown, IA; and served in the Army’s Science Research Office in London, England. Upon promotion to Colonel, Don served in turn as Chief of Staff, Munitions Production Base Modernization Agency, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ and Deputy for Industrial Preparedness & Installations, Army Munitions Material Command, Rock Island Arsenal, IL. His awards included two Legions of Merit and the Bronze Star. Upon retirement in 1987, Don continued his late military career efforts to dispose of dangerous chemical warfare agents by working, in turn, for Allen Bradley, Milwaukee, WI; General Atomics, San Diego, CA; and ABB – Combustion Engineering, Atlanta, GA. In 1996, Don and Mary Helen retired to Dawsonville, GA and relocated to Arbor Landing in 2021.

He survivors include his wife of 64 years, Mary Helen (Purdy) Reinhard; son COL (USA-Ret) Karl; daughter LTC (USA-Ret) Susan Robertson and husband COL (USA-RET) Russell Robertson of Leland NC; daughter Elaine (MD) of Leland NC; Son Eric (Lawyer) of Waterloo IL; seven grandchildren [Shawn and Andrew Reinhard; Shelby Robertson and Dana (Robertson) Meyers; Kolby, Kaelan and Eilla Reinhard] and two great grandchildren [Wilson and Eliza Reinhard].

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitefuneralservicesupply.com for the Reinhard family.