Norma Jean Reinert-Schuette, known to most as Jeannie, was born August 29, 1944, in Ness County, to Dennis E. and Vietta A. (Ummel) Walter. She departed this life Saturday, July 16, 2016, in Great Bend.
Jeannie married Ralph Paul Reinert March 24, 1962, in Clayton, N.M. To this union three sons were born, Kirk Alan of Ness City, Darren Paul (Sherry Lynn Wilson) of Hoisington, and Nyle Justin (Glenna Lachelle Brown) of Great Bend. Jeannie and Ralph divorced in 1982.
Jeannie graduated from Ness City High School in 1962, and St. Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City in 1990. She graduated with degrees in Social Work and Psychology.
All of Jeannie’s career involved working in the field of health care, nursing facilities, hospitals and hospice. She was instrumental in getting Hospice of the Prairie in Dodge City Medicare and Medicaid certified. Her love, however, was working with the elderly in long term care. She wanted to be remembered as ‘making a difference’ in the lives of the people with whom she worked. Jeannie retired in 2010.
Jeannie was united in marriage to Dennis M. Schuette June 16, 1990, in Dodge City. Dennis survives along with her three sons and two daughters-in-law; five grandchildren, Chad Alan and Tyson Jacob (Kirk’s sons), Logan Paul and Piper Layne (Darren’s son and daughter) and Kaleigh Grayce (Nyle’s daughter). She was extremely proud to be a great-grandmother to her two great-grandsons, Bryce Alan and Jase Michael (Chad’s sons). Jeannie is also survived by one brother Verl J. Walter (Peggy) of Powder Springs, Ga., one niece Connie Lynn Walter Nash of Acworth, Ga.; and one nephew Joseph Dennis Walter also of Georgia. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Jeannie always enjoyed attending various kinds of auto races, a sport in which her sons are actively involved. She enjoyed being a spectator at sprint car races, where Kirk serves as a crew chief and drag races, where Nyle drives a race car and Darren assists him in the pits. She had also attended many NHRA races across the United States. After her retirement Jeannie became interested in geneology. She had traced her family back seven generations.
Jeannie was a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Albert.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 21, 2016, at Fitzgerald Funeral Home. Burial will be at the Ness City Cemetery. Viewing will be held from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and Wednesday, at Fitzgerald Funeral Home with family present from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday. In lieu of flowers it was Jeannie’s wish that memorials be given to the Wichita Cancer Foundation, a 501 (c) 3, which assists cancer patients in paying the insurance premiums when their disease makes it impossible for them to work and do so. The family would prefer that memorials may be mailed to or left at the funeral home. If you prefer you can always mail it directly to Wichita Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 49020, Wichita, KS, 67201. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.fitzgeraldfuneral.com.
Funeral services provided by
Fitzgerald’s Funeral Home**
P.O. Box 96
Ness City, KS. 67560
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, July 19, 2016
