Elizabeth "Betty" J (Whitesell) Reinhart

Elizabeth June Reinhart (“Betty”), age 98, passed away February 28, 2018, in Oxford, Ohio. She was preceded in death by her husband Roy H. Reinhart (2005) and older sister Emma Louise Whitesell (1978).

Betty was born in Dayton, Ohio, on June 28, 1919, to Johanna Maye (Quinn) and George William Whitesell. She graduated from Stivers High School in Dayton and attended Miami University where she majored in Home Economics, earning a B.A. in 1941. Her Miami years were filled with activities-sophomore counselor, the sophomore women’s honorary CWEN, president of her sorority Delta Gamma, YWCA Vice President, and member of Mortar Board. It was during her college years that she met Roy Reinhart and married him between semesters of their senior year in 1941. Since their marriage was “a first” for Miami students who had not yet graduated, they had to obtain permission of the university’s president before they could wed.

Betty and Roy moved frequently in their early married life. After graduation, Roy began working toward a Master’s Degree at the University of Chicago. Johanna was born in Chicago in 1942. Roy’s schooling was soon interrupted by the outbreak of World War II, when he was called to serve his country and was sent to Bend, OR for Army training. Betty and Johanna moved back to Dayton OH to live with Betty’s parents until the war ended. When Roy returned from Europe, the family returned to Chicago where Roy completed his Master’s degree in Vertebrate Paleontology. A Ph.D. in Vertebrate Paleontology from the University of California-Berkeley soon followed. William was born in California in 1948. Roy’s first academic position was at the University of West Texas, Canyon, TX, in 1949, where he taught Geology and served as curator of the Panhandle Plains Historical Society Museum. Not long thereafter, he received the call of his dreams: an offer to join the Department of Geology at Miami University. He accepted it immediately, and Oxford became the couple’s permanent home in fall 1951. Daughter Jan was born in 1954.

Betty was always an active member of the community. In the early years, she served on the United Appeal Board, earning a Citation from Community Service from the Oxford United Appeal. She was a Girl Scout leader and a Camp Fire Girls leader, and when she finished her term as Camp Fire Area Representative, she was recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Cincinnati Camp Fire Council. At Miami University Betty and Roy both served on the Alumni Council, and Betty was a member of the Hughes Society Committee in the Alumni Association for 3 years. Roy and Betty were Miami Parents of the Year in 1972.

In 1972 Betty received a Master of Education degree in Textiles and Clothing and soon served as a substitute teacher in the Talawanda School District. She was then employed as a full time teacher at Talawanda High School for a year before being hired by Miami University to teach textiles and clothing part-time. She much enjoyed this occupation through 1980.

Outside the working world, Betty was active in P.E.O. for 58 years, serving as President for two terms and holding all but one of the other offices two or more times. She was named as an Honored Woman by the Oxford Presbyterian Church in 2011 for having served as Deacon, teaching Sunday school, serving as a Circle leader several times, and working tirelessly on numerous committees and projects. She especially like Rummage.

Betty deeply loved nature and her flower and vegetable gardens. She kept logs and notes on seashells, wildflowers, birds, mammal, and mushrooms, especially in Oxford, Canada, Sanibel Florida, and the many states to which the family traveled. There was no fruit she didn’t use for jelly, jam and pies, and even in her 90s, she delighted in picking gallons of wild blueberries on the steep, rocky hillsides near the family’s cottage in Canada. She loved long-distance walking and canoeing. While accomplished in knitting, sewing, watercolor painting, journaling, and shellcraft, Betty’s greatest gift to others was her compassion and love for people, particularly the ill, incapacitated, and underserved. Her letters, cards, and donations of food to them became her trademark. She will be remembered as an inspiring, caring, elegant woman with a beautiful soul, whose generosity and grace touched many lives.

Betty is survived by Johanna (Arly), of Oxford, William (Sandra) of Sparta TN and Jan of Oxford, three step-grandchildren Melissa (Matthew) of Naples, FL, Jim (Melanie) of Albuquerque, NM, and Kristin (Christine) of Cincinnati, and six step-great grandchildren. She will remain deeply cherished by her family and will be greatly missed.

A Service of Witness to the Resurrection and Thanksgiving for Betty’s life will be held on April 7th at the Oxford Presbyterian Church at 2:00 p.m., with Pastor Lawrence Bartel officiating. Condolences may be sent online to www.oglepaulyoungfuneralhome.com

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