William Conrad Reiner

REINER, William (Bill) C.  of Mechanicsville, VA, passed away,  Monday, May 17, 2021 at the age of 92.  After weeks of failing health, he died peacefully at home with his beloved wife Rose Marie and his family at his side.

Bill was born on August 18, 1928 in Jersey City, NJ to Sofia (Eckes) Reiner and William J. Reiner.   He spent his boyhood in Jersey City where he grew up in a home which included his parents and grandmother.

After graduating from Xavier High School in New York City in 1945, he entered the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in the Archdiocese of Newark.  He left the seminary to pursue a desire to teach but took with him a deep spirituality and commitment to the Church which he maintained throughout his life.  He earned an AB in classical languages and an MA in administrative supervision from Seton Hall University. 

On his birthday in 1956 he married the love of his life, Rose Marie Blum, in Maplewood, NJ.  For the next 64 years they journeyed through life together. 

Bill’s passions included model trains, acts of charity, his spirituality, and languages and stories. He was a man of deep faith who had great empathy for the less fortunate. He spent countless hours volunteering for church related activities, with a special affinity for those activities targeting the poor.  In 2011 he was selected by Catholic Charities of Richmond as Volunteer of the Year. He was a lay member of the Third Order of Dominicans, which was a distinction he pursued alongside his wife.

Bill always had a joke or a story to share.  He quickly made friends wherever he wandered.  He loved to engage with people in conversation and share stories of his past.  He enjoyed traveling and the opportunity to see new sights and find new audiences for his stories.  He traveled extensively in retirement and he and Rose Marie took many cruises to various destinations around the world.

He began his teaching career at St. James High School in Newark NJ.  He taught Latin, Russian, and English at several high schools in NJ before moving to an administrative position in 1963.  He was completely devoted to students in schools where he served as principal, in Matawan, NJ and Swiftwater, PA.  He took great pride in the schools under his leadership.

In 1994 he and Rose Marie retired and relocated from Pocono Lake, PA to Brightwood, VA.  He quickly became part of the Brightwood community where his life centered around the church and outreach to those in need.  His daughter Terry and her three children joined him there as her husband completed medical school. In retirement he utilized his educational administrative experience to play a pivotal role in the creation of Epiphany Catholic School in Culpeper VA.

In 2002 he moved with his daughter and her family to Mechanicsville VA after his son-in-law finished medical residency. There he quickly once again established close friends and immersed himself in church related activities at Church of the Redeemer, Roman Catholic Church, and was an active member of the Knights of Columbus.  He was a part of his daughter’s multi-generational household and was an integral part of his grandchildren’s childhood.

In addition to his wife, Rose Marie, he is survived by his adult children William (Theresa) Reiner,  Frank Reiner, Pat Reiner, Terry (Randy) Ferrance,  9 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren, plus one great grandchild on the way.

The viewing will be held at Monaghan Funeral Home in Mechanicsville, VA on Thursday, May 20, 2021 from 5 - 7  PM. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 AM,  Friday, May 21, 2021, and will be live streamed on the Church of the Redeemer Facebook page. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in his memory to Catholic Charities of Richmond.

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