Larry Reinig, manager of construction/renovation in UNMC’s Facilities Management and Planning for the past 10 years, died Sunday (Oct. 2). He was 56.
Visitation begins Tuesday, Oct. 4, at 2 p.m. at Heafey-Heafey-Hoffman Dworak-Cutler West Center Chapel, 78th and West Center streets, with a prayer service at 7 p.m. The funeral service will be Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 11 a.m. at Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church. Interment will be at Westlawn-Hillcrest.
Reinig joined UNMC on March 2, 1988, as a carpenter. He rose to the ranks of project coordinator and in 1995 became manager of construction/renovation, where he oversaw the plumbing, carpenters and grounds departments.
“Larry was very dedicated to UNMC,” said Del Lee, associate vice chancellor for Finance and Business Services at UNMC. “He was always here during snowstorms, wind and hail or whatever the emergency might be. If you asked him to do something, you could forget about it. It would be done. We have lost a skilled employee and a friend.”
Dale Miller, administrative director for FMP, agreed. “Larry was very quiet, but he’s the one person you could always count on to make sure things got done. He really cared about the medical center and spent a lot of extra time here to make sure things got done.”
In fact, colleagues say it was not unusual for Reinig to be on campus at 3 a.m. to help with snow removal or ensure that parking lots were striped correctly. “He did not know an eight-hour day,” Miller said. “He’s going to be sorely missed around here.”
Reinig is survived by his wife, Donna of Omaha, who works at The Nebraska Medical Center; son, Michael Pongruber of Omaha; mother, Virginia Reinig of Portsmouth, Iowa; brother, Duane of Portsmouth, Iowa; sisters, Marge Walsh of St. Louis, Mo., Lois Crawford of Portsmouth, Iowa, and Sharon Kohles of Omaha; and nieces and nephews.
The family suggests memorials be given to UNMC or Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church.