Paul Joseph Reinhard, 97, of New Bern, North Carolina passed away on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Paul was born on March 24, 1928 in Fort Recovery, Ohio to the late Charles Rudolph and Magdalena (Lauer) Reinhard.

Paul was often called the affectionate German nickname of Dickie when small and as an adult his siblings and nieces and nephews referred to him as Uncle Dick.

He grew up on a farm in the town of Fort Recovery, Ohio as the youngest of 7 children. His oldest sister Mary recounted that she was called home from her job as a domestic because her mother needed her. Mary thought it was time to care for the baby chicks and she grumbled about coming home. When she arrived home there was a baby brother waiting for her!

In 1928 when he was born the state of the USA was dismal. The depression was looming and prohibition had been in place since the early 1920s. It was hard on the farm as cash was scarce and one literally lived off the land. At one time in order to get some cash they made moonshine in the back forty. Paul and his sister waited upstairs at the window so they could signal that the runners were coming up the lane for the moonshine. Five of his siblings left the farm to work by age 16 leaving his sister Ann and him to keep the farm going. He disliked having to pump water for the livestock but he loved riding the donkey!

He started his elementary education in a one room schoolhouse on the grounds of Saint Joseph's Catholic Church. Paul and his sister were the first of the family to graduate high school. A feat we now take for granted.

A month after graduation he was able to begin a job with Equity Dairy for 64 cents an hour. He walked or hitched the 3.5 miles to and from work. After a year he advanced to the position of "Weigher-Tester and Sampler of Milk and Cream". At the end of his career there he was earning 75 cents an hour!

He also had saved up $1500 to purchase his first car - a 1941 Ford sedan. He remained a Ford man his entire life!

In 1947 he began working for the Cole-Layer-Trumble Company of Dayton, Ohio who provided appraisal and assessment services for municipalities. He worked there for 33 years and moved up to the position of vice president.

He later had a second career with the State of New York in the Local Assessment Services department in Syracuse until his retirement in 1990.

He has a great interest in family history and recording his family history. For years he worked diligently documenting the first 50 years of each of his 6 children's lives. He sorted through pictures and slides and wrote captions for everything he included in these albums. They were presented to each child on the occasion of their 50th birthday and to this day remain the most cherished of possessions.

Until his passing Paul was an avid computer geek watching youtube videos for recipes and baseball, reading his hometown newspaper, The Daily Standard, ordering from Amazon, sending and reading emails and face-timing with his family.

He married in August of 1951 to Ann Skripac of Lowellville, Ohio whom he met at work. She didn't want to go out with him as he was charming and handsome and she was afraid he was a playboy! She finally relented and a year later they were married.

Paul loved woodworking and baseball. He was a talented singer and used that talent for many years at church as a choir leader. He loved a good joke and would make up fun games like fishing for a small prize for his grandchildren. He would make a fishing pole and drape it over a couch or table and hook a prize on it for the children to fish up. It's a family tradition!

He developed quite a sweet tooth in later years - always having pork rinds, Twizzlers and Werther's Originals around. Apparently his love of candy started early. He was three years old when he found a box of cold tablets and ate them. The doctor was called and the family was told if he made it through the night he would be alright!

But above it all Paul was a true gentleman, a man of faith, a man of honesty and generosity, a quiet man, a loving man, a man with a smile for everyone!

Paul is survived by his 6 lucky children; Cheryl Jukich (Bill) of New Bern, NC, Paula Beeken (Scott) of Cincinnati, OH, Gail Mikesell of Chubbuck, ID, Daniel Reinhard ( Kathy) of Charlotte, NC, Brad Reinhard of Charlotte, NC, Ron Reinhard (Ronni) of Charlotte, NC; Grandchildren, Jim Nidiffer (Mary Michelle) of Raleigh, NC, Melissia Larson of Greenville, NC, Bayleigh Hayden (Seth) of Cincinnati, OH, Greer Wymond (Dave) of Boise, ID, Brandon Beeken (Emily) of Atlanta, GA, Katie Button (Wes) of Portland, OR, Nicolette Mikesell of Twin Falls, ID, Richard Mikesell of Richlands, NC, Korinne Metha (Tapan) of Falmouth, ME, Anna Romito (Matt) of Chicago, IL, Alex Reinhard of Falmouth, ME, Paige Reinhard of Charlotte, NC, Kelsey Fuller (Shaun) of Charlotte, NC, Blythe Meyer (Gary) of Raleigh, NC; Great-Grandchildren, Emily Clifton of Greenville, NC, Tristan Larson of Raleigh, NC, Allison Palko (Micheal) of Raleigh, NC, Sarah Nidiffer of Raleigh, NC, Ann, Paul, Bayleigh Elizabeth and Daniel Hayden of Cincinnati, OH, Scotty, Tyler and Chipper Wymond of Boise, ID, Lincoln and Cecily Metha of Falmouth, ME, Lucia and Arthur Romito of Chicago, IL, Lena and Penny Fuller of Charlotte, NC, Alec and Gemma Button of Portland, OR, Baby Reinhard coming soon; Great-Great-Grandchildren, Anna Madeline and Jake Miller of Greenville, NC.

Paul was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years Anna Skripac Reinhard in 2014. He also said goodbye to his son-in-law Stan Mikesell in 1999 and daughter-in-law Ruby Reinhard in 2021.

The family would like to thank all those who helped our Dad in his final weeks for their kindness and support. In particular, the entire staff on the 4th floor inpatient wing and the staff of the 4th floor comfort room area at Carolina East Medical Center. Your dedication and compassion meant the world to us. And a big thank you to the staff of Grantsbrook Rehabilitation in Grantsboro, NC for welcoming our Dad to your facility and being so kind, diligent and supportive to his needs and our feelings. He loved your staff and your food! We loved your clean and shiny floors!

Finally, our three dedicated EMTs from the Community Paramedic Team who took Dad on as a patient and made basic medical procedures and monitoring of his conditions so easy for him and his family. And now Jerome, Phillip and Keaton you are our dear friends too!

The family will welcome family and friends on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm at OLD Saint Paul's Catholic Church, 504 Middle Street, New Bern, NC. Following the viewing will be a funeral mass at 2:00 PM at Old St.Paul Catholic Church, 504 Middle Street, New Bern, NC.

Interment will follow at a later date at his childhood church, St. Joe's in Fort Recovery, Ohio.

There will be a small gathering immediately following the service for family and friends at Famous Restaurant (his favorite!), 2210 Neuse Blvd, New Bern. Memories and laughs will be shared in the upstairs room. Please come and fellowship with us and have a little bit of refreshment.

Online condolences to the family may be made at www.cottenfuneralhome.com.