Kenneth Maurice Reim

Kenneth Maurice Reim, 97, of Las Vegas, Nevada, passed away March 29, 2024. He was born July 7, 1926 near Memphis, Nebraska, to Herman August and Gertrude Bessie (Hennig) Reim. His parents, wife Ann, older brother Fred, younger brother Harold and nephew Randy Reim preceded him in death. He is survived by nieces and nephews.

He graduated from Ashland High School, Nebraska, May 1943. Kenneth then worked at the Nebraska Defense Corporation, an aerial bomb manufacturing plant, Mead, Nebraska, during World War II, followed by various construction jobs. During this period he also assisted his father farming.

January 1947, he left Nebraska to attend New Mexico School of Mines, Socorro, New Mexico, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering, May 1950. With a U.S. Bureau of Mines Fellowship, he attended the University of Washington, Seattle, and graduated with a Master of Science in Mining Engineering, June 1951.

With a college classmate, Kenneth built a house on speculation in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the summer and fall of 1951. November 1951, he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War, taking basic infantry training at Fort Riley, Kansas. March 1952, he was transferred to the Chemical Corps’ Radiological Laboratory, Edgewood, Maryland. He was separated from the U.S. Army with the rank of Corporal, November 1953.

November 1953, Kenneth started work for United Geophysical Corporation as a Mining Exploration Engineer/Geologist out of Tucson, Arizona; Wisconsin and Grand Junction, Colorado. Subsequently, he worked for Kern County Land Company, Tenneco Oil Company, Getty Oil Company and U.S. Borax out of Salt Lake City, Bakersfield, San Francisco, Houston and Los Angeles. He managed various mineral exploration, development and environmental permitting projects throughout the Southwest, including Death Valley, Wyoming, Texas, Tennessee, Alaska, Montana, Washington and Nevada. He retired in 1991 as Manager, Mining Development, with U.S. Borax in Los Angeles. Since 1991, he was active in Southern Nevada Section, Society of Mining Engineers; and served as a volunteer member on the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Test Site, Community Advisory Board (CAB), 1997-2003.

Registered Professional Mining Engineer in Nevada; Master Mason of Pomegranate Lodge No. 110, A.F. & A.M., Ashland, Nebraska, since 1949, and Oasis Lodge No. 41, F. & A.M., Las Vegas, Nevada, since 1999; and member of Zelazah Shriners, A.A.O.N.M.S. of Las Vegas, Nevada, since 2001.

Kenneth married Ann Aronitz, November 10, 1973. They made their home in Marina del Rey, West Los Angeles, two years in San Mateo (1982-84), and then in November 1991 retiring to Sun City Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada. They enjoyed their family and friends, living in the coastal areas of California, vacations in the western U.S. and Hawaii, and business trips/vacations to Alaska, Madrid and Seville, Spain; Paris and London. Since Mid-2006, Kenneth resided at the Las Ventanas Retirement Community in Las Vegas.