John Louis Reichard

John L. (Jack) Reichard, 94, of Waynesville, NC, passed away peacefully on November 19, 2024. He was born May 22, 1930, in Crawfordsville, IN and attended Crawfordsville High School where he graduated in 1948. After high school, he enlisted in the Indiana National Guard-Artillery Division, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant. He later joined the U.S. Army Reserves and rose to the rank of Captain where he served several years until his Honorable Discharge in 1971.

Jack married his first love Dorothy (Childers) in 1949, and they loved and raised 4 children until her untimely death in 1983. Jack married his second love, Irene (Opella) Reichard in 1986.

Jack worked over 30 years in paper & publishing, working for RR Donnelly & Sons, Harper & Row, CD Stampley and Steck-Vaughn. He loved playing and watching sports, especially golf, at which he excelled, playing well into his 80’s and often beating his age in his golf score. He was also an avid baseball fan and loved his Chicago Cubs. He followed the Cubs in the 1945 World Series vs Detroit where the Cubs lost, but was thrilled as he watched the Cubs win the World Series in 2016 when he was 86 yrs.old. He was also an excellent dancer and was an instructor for The Arthur Murray Dance Studio in his late teens. At a party or wedding, he was often the last dancer to come off the floor.

Jack had friends across the country, as he lived over 30 years in Crawfordsville, IN, nearly 20 years in Glenview, IL, several years in Charlotte, NC, and over 30 years in Cedar Park, Tx, finally moving to Waynesville, NC in 2015. In Waynesville, he had friends at the American Legion-Post 47, the VFW-Post 5202, and The Moose Lodge # 1733. Almost daily, you could find Jack with his best friend Ken Rector at the Legion, VFW, or the Moose, having his one drink, his one cigarette, telling stories and sharing his life with all his friends.

When his health and mobility started to decline, he received excellent care from the Asheville VA Hospital, the ICU team at Haywood Regional Medical Center and from Maggie Valley Rehab & Nursing Home.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Keith and Gertrude (Watkins) Reichard and his wife, Dorothy (Childers) Reichard. He is survived by his sister, Nancy (Reichard) Feaster, his wife, Irene (Opella) Reichard, his children Teresa (Reichard) and Douglas “Duke” DeLano, John and Alice (Pleasants) Reichard, Elizabeth (Reichard) and Allen Pier, and Joseph and Teresa (Shaw) Reichard. He had 8 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren, many of whom visited him in the days before his passing.

Funeral Services were conducted with personal care by Garrett Funeral Home in Waynesville, with very special thanks to Chad Hamiel for his professional and thoughtful care for Jack and his family.

It was Jack’s request to have a casual gathering at the Legion to be with his family and many friends one last time, so the family is planning a Celebration of Life on January 4, 2025, from 2pm to 5pm at the Waynesville American Legion-Post 47 at 171 Legion Dr. Waynesville, NC. Guests are invited to share a funny moment or a special memory about Jack during our celebration.