Jay Dee Reinert

Jay Dee Reinert, 76, a longtime resident of Lakewood Colorado and beloved husband of Suzanne, died suddenly of a massive coronary on January 18th, 2016, while wintering in Palm Springs, California.

Jay married Suzanne Sabus on November 16, 1963, and recently celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary.

Jay was born on December 30, 1939, in Rockford, Illinois to Charles and Agnes Reinert. He moved with his family to Colorado Springs when he was ten years old. In 1958, Jay graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School, where he led his baseball team to victory at the state tournament. Jay's youth was highlighted by his participation in Boy Scouts and his excellence as a baseball pitcher. Jay received a baseball scholarship and attended Mesa Junior College in Grand Junction, Colorado.

In 1962, Jay enlisted in the Air Force and served four years in Sacramento, California. He then worked with his father at the Colorado Springs Meat Packing Company and later managed the family owned A&W restaurant. Jay then began a career in restaurant equipment and sales, which relocated his family to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for four years. A promotion to District Manager at Hobart brought the family back to Colorado in 1980.

Jay was an active member of Christ on the Mountain Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He was also a HUGE sports fan throughout his life. He especially enjoyed participating in baseball, bowling, golf, horseshoes and, most recently, pickle ball; a highlight was winning the World Horseshoe Tournament in 2010. He was a true fan of race car driving, the Denver Broncos, Colorado Avalanche, and Colorado Rockies.

In his retirement years, Jay became an avid traveler and enjoyed wildlife and bird watching, woodcarving, and reading. Among his favorite adventures were rafting and hiking the Grand Canyon and trips to Costa Rica, Europe, Africa, Alaska, Southeast Asia, and the Mediterranean. He and Suzanne spent many happy years traveling around the United States in their RV.

Jay is lovingly remembered by his wife, Suzanne, four daughters, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild: Shelley and John Couch of Boulder, Colorado; Aimee and Barry Kroneberger of Winter Park, Colorado, their daughters, Kylie, Tracie Rohloff (husband Ezekiel and son Leland), and Sydnie; Nikki and Sean Sheehy, currently stationed in Tampa, Florida, and their daughter Skye; Beth and Kelly Schneider of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and their sons Sam and Jay. He is also survived by his brother, Chuck Reinert, sister-in-law, Linda, and nephew, Kelen, of Grand Junction, Colorado.

Jay Reinert was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend to many. He lived his life to the fullest and will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

A Rosary will be held on Monday, February 1st, at 7pm at Christ on the Mountain Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be Tuesday, February 2nd, at 11 am at Christ on the Mountain Catholic Church, 13922 W. Utah Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80228 with a reception to follow. Inurnment will be at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, Area B, at 2:30pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given in his memory to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research at www.Lustgarten.org.

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