Joseph M. "Joe" Reinardy Jr.

Joseph M. "Joe" Reinardy, age 90 of New Trier, died at Regina Medical Center on Monday morning, January 17, 2022, following a battle with Covid-19. Joseph Mathias Jr., the son of Joseph and Magdalena (Bauer) Reinardy, was born on October 6, 1931, in Hampton Township, Dakota County. Following his eighth grade education, Joe began working on the farm, and at both the Faribault Canning Factory and Red Wing Pottery prior to being drafted into the United States Army in 1956. Joe was proud of his service and talked about his travels to twenty-seven states and seven countries. Following his Honorable Discharge in 1958, Joe began working road construction and became the first employee of Ames Construction Company. On June 20, 1964, Joe was united in marriage to Carol M. Wojcik in Red Wing. They briefly lived in Hastings for five years, and then moved to the Reinardy Family Farm where they raised their family and created many memories during their fifty-five years of marriage. It was on the farm that Joe and Carol worked side-by-side to ensure the farm was taken care of for nearly fifty years. Together, their passion for the land and animals made them very successful in their work. Joe was a self-made man who rarely hired anything done on the farm. His independence and ability to learn and do anything himself was a reflection of his farm and character. Joe was devout Catholic and longtime member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and St. Nicholas Society. No matter how busy life on the farm was, he and Carol never missed praying the rosary, daily prayers, or attending Sunday Mass. Joe also loved going for Sunday drives around the countryside, listening to music, and dancing with Carol in their younger years. He enjoyed collecting and working with his family on restoring old tractors, and had a true talent for welding. Whether it was caring for the farmyard, maintaining farm equipment, or taking care of the necessary bookwork for the farm, Joe's attention to detail was second to none. There wasn't a day that Joe stopped defending his freedoms and would be sure to follow politics closely. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Carol on November 6, 2019; and by his siblings, Grace Frazier and a sister in infancy. Joe is survived by his children, Alan (Melanie) Reinardy, Debra (John) Carpenter, John (Heather Holmgren) Reinardy, and Jody (Kim) Reinardy; twenty three grandchildren and one great grandchild; siblings, Stella (George) Johnson, Mary Jane Nelson, Geraldine Langer, Anna Stoffel, Mary Reinardy, Gloria Ann Duffing, and Florain Reinardy; and by nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 5, 2022, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in New Trier, with Father Michael Tix officiating. Interment will follow at the parish cemetery. Family and friends are cordially invited to a visitation from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., with a rosary at 9:30 a.m. at church on Saturday morning. Due to Covid concerns, no luncheon will be held following the service. In lieu of flowers, Joe's family requests Masses be said in his memory. Arrangements are being completed by Starkson Family Life Celebration Chapel of Hastings.