Donald Reinertson

Donald J. Reinertson, 88, of Atlantic, Iowa, passed away Sunday, June 5, 2016, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic.

Donald Jacob Reinertson was born Donald Jacob Hietala on September 17, 1927, in Trout Creek, Michigan, at the home owned by Bill and Ellen Perttula. Don and his older sister, Dorothy, were Ilmi Reinertson's children by her first marriage to Jacob Hietala. After Jacob's death, Ilmi met and married Norman Reinertson and added a daughter, June, and son, Raymond, to the family. Norman took in Don and Dorothy as his own. While Don and Dorothy were never formally adopted by Norman, when they entered high school, they both took the surname of Reinertson.

Donald graduated high school from Valders, WI, and completed his army basic training at Camp Lee, VA in 1946. After basic training, he went to Fort Ogalthorpe, TN where he received training in the new field of "punch cards" and "computers." Donald used his special training at Fort Mead in Baltimore, MD. He served in the military from 1945-47 and then attended school at Loyola in Chicago on the GI bill. Donald's career experience after schooling began with Blue Cross, to Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co, to the Ford Motor Co, to becoming a managing consultant for Peat, Marwick, & Mitchell.

During this time, Donald met Rosemarie Catherine Moran in Chicago through Rosemarie's good friend June Swanson, who happened to be Donald's first cousin. Donald and Rosemarie were married on November 27, 1948, in Chicago. Their children are: Bonnie Poduska (John), Donald Jacobs (Kathy Menzie), Kathryn McMahon, Laurie Schroeder (Tim), and Anne Hunsinger (Dan).

In 1958, Donald joined Walnut Grove Products and moved his growing family from the Chicago area to Atlantic, Iowa. He started as the Controller for Walnut Grove and worked through management positions, including six years, from 1980-1991 as the General Manager. Donald retired in 1991. He served on the Cass County Hospital Board for 22 years and about 10 of those as Chairman.

Donald enjoyed golfing, fishing in South Dakota, and traveling to see his family. Don, a recent resident of Heritage House, was well-cared for by the staff in his last year. He was a gracious man, always ready with a new joke to share or a fond memory to recall.

Donald was preceded in death by his wife, Rosemarie Reinertson; his sister, Dorothy Swanson; and many other cherished relatives and friends.

He is survived by his children and his grandchildren: Paul, Andrew and Caitlin Poduska; Sean (Alison) McMahon; Chad (Jennifer) Schroeder, Ethan Schroeder, Jeremy (Kristin) Schroeder; Jack and Molly Hunsinger. Also surviving are his sister, June (Glenn) Vlasak, his brother, Ray (Alice) Reinertson, his sister-in-law, Patricia Pribyl; and many, many nieces and nephews and cousins. A special thank you to Betty Gee for being his loyal companion. He will be so very missed by all.

Visitation will be held from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m., Thursday, June 9, 2016, at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, Iowa.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., also on Thursday, June 9, 2016, at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, Iowa.

Burial will take place in the Atlantic Cemetery.

A luncheon in Hockenberry's Community Room will follow the committal service.