William John Reinke

William J. Reinke, 93, of Granger, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Saturday, September 30, 2023, in Mishawaka.

Born August 7, 1930, in South Bend, to William August and Eva Marie (Hein) Reinke, Mr. Reinke graduated from John Adams High School, earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wabash College, and with a full-tuition merit scholarship to the University of Chicago, obtained his Juris Doctor in 1955. He also served in the U.S. Army at 5th Army Headquarters in Chicago for two years as a sergeant in the Management Planning Unit followed by years of service in the Army Reserves.

Mr. Reinke began his legal career at Seebirt, Oare, Deahl & Thornburg and helped lead its growth and development, becoming Senior Partner at the South Bend office of what would become Barnes & Thornburg, one of America's 75 largest and most prominent law firms. Over his career, he argued cases in both trial and appellate courts at the federal level nationwide from Philadelphia to San Francisco, Minnesota to Florida. He was a member of the American Bar Association, Indiana State Bar Association, American Judicature Society, the Defense Research Institute, the St. Joseph County Bar Association and was listed in the first edition of The Best Lawyers in America in 1983 where he earned its highest peer-review rating as a lawyer. One of his greatest achievements was a trial involving inverse condemnation. In this case, Mr. Reinke's client was a neighbor to someone whose land was taken by the State of Indiana to reroute streets around the property resulting in his client's backyard becoming his front yard. Upon seeking compensation from the state for this grievance, the client was denied and filed suit for which Mr. Reinke prevailed in court. The state appealed to the Indiana Supreme Court, the ruling stood, and he again was victorious. As a result of this case, he created the doctrine of inverse condemnation in Indiana, a term used for lawsuits against the state where the client's land is not taken, but the surrounding lands are transformed to such a degree that it infringes on the property rights of landowners.

Deeply committed to the South Bend community civically and philanthropically, Mr. Reinke served on many boards including Trustee and then President of the Board of Trustees for The Stanley Clark School, Izaak Walton League, First United Methodist Church, United Way of St. Joseph County, and was a 50-year member of the Advisory Board and then Board President for the Salvation Army, South Bend Chapter. He was a proud member of the Rotary Club of South Bend and was among the original 5 founders and investors of what became The Summit Club atop South Bend's tallest building. A strong patron of the arts, he also served on the board of the South Bend Civic Theater.

He received numerous accolades throughout his professional life including the Wabash College Richard O. Ristine Award, was honored as a Lifetime Fellow of the St. Joseph County Bar Foundation, and received the Sigmund Beck Award presented by the ACLU of Indiana for his development of a course on the US Constitution taught to elementary students across the Hoosier state.

Mr. Reinke retired in 1996 after nearly 40 years in the practice of law allowing him greater time to devote to his favorite leisurely pursuits traveling, writing, and spending time at his beloved SABIAN Lodge. Nestled in woodlands near Culver, SABIAN was his favorite place, especially in the late afternoon on the deck overlooking the pond, martini in hand. An avid writer, he authored A Hoosier Trial Lawyer's Notebook - 40 Years at the Bar, a fascinating rendition of his legal career often comparing the courtroom to a stage, lawyers as actors, jury as the audience. Including artwork from his grandson, Austin, the book spans decades during which he represented major insurance firms and companies from all over the nation to small-town businesses and average people who sought and received justice before the law with him as their voice. He was in the final throws of his second book, Random Thoughts, when his health declined. His family vows to complete his work.

Among his fondest memories occurred in May 2016, with his younger brother Bob, when, both in their late 80's, retraced the steps of their father's involvement in the 1916 Battle of the Somme, France during the First World War, exactly 100 years later. They were subsequently interviewed by a French television crew for the event.

He was a larger-than-life, constant, loving force for his family, well deserving of the title, patriarch. He married his first wife Sue C. Reinke (Colvin), in 1951, and reared their three children Sally, William, and Andrew, in his ancestral home on Colfax, designed and built by his father, the late William A. Reinke in 1939, which remained in the family for 75 years, covering 4 generations.

Mr. Reinke is survived by his loving wife of 32 years Elizabeth A. Reinke (Beck) of Granger, daughter Sally S. Taelman (Craig A.) of Niles, daughter-in-law Pamela A. Reinke of South Bend, and son Andrew J. Reinke of Indianapolis. He had four grandchildren, Shaina S. Miller (Peter) of Niles, Blake A. Taelman (Paige) of Niles, William A. Reinke III of Mishawaka (fiancé Madeleine Havrilla), Austin A. Reinke of South Bend, and five great-grandchildren, Ethan D. Miller, Elise K. Miller, Archer G. Taelman, Charlotte G. Taelman and Heath C. Taelman, all of Niles. His extended family with his wife Elizabeth includes his step-children Michael B. Lockwood (Kathy) of West Lafayette, Lisa A. Ritz (Michael) of East Lyme, Connecticut, and Patrick A. Lockwood (Donna) of Indianapolis, 6 step-grandchildren, Scott P. Lockwood, Elise E. Lockwood, Erin R. Ransom (Jeffrey), Katheryn Woolley (Greg), and two great step grandchildren, Elizabeth D. Ransom and Theodore W. Ransom.

Mr. Reinke is preceded in death by his parents William A. and Eva M. Reinke, son William A Reinke II, his first wife Sue C. Reinke, his brother the Honorable Robert L. Reinke, and a great grandchild Grace E. Miller.

Visitation with the family will be Monday, October 9, 4-7 pm, at the Palmer Funeral Home, Welsheimer Chapel-North, 17033 Cleveland Rd, South Bend, with funeral services at 10am, Tuesday, October 10, at the First United Methodist Church, 333 N. Main Street, South Bend with Rev. Vickie Van Nevel, Senior Pastor, officiating.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Salvation Army, South Bend Regional Chapter, United Way of St. Joseph County, Reinke Brothers Law Fund - Wabash College, or a charity of your choice.

10/06/2023 EJS