Patsy Lea “Pat” Reinoehl

BLAIR — Patsy Lea “Pat” (Burns) Reinoehl, 69, Blair, died Oct. 1, 2018, in Elkhorn, surrounded by family after a courageous two-year battle with glioblastoma multiforme. Her husband, Harley, died five days earlier under hospice care, Sept. 25, 2018 Memorial services for Pat and Harley will be Thursday, Oct. 4, from 5-7:30 p.m., at the United Methodist Church, Laurel. Funeral services are Oct. 5, at 10:30 a.m., at the church, with Rev. Isaac Chua officiating. Burial will be at the Laurel Cemetery. Wintz Funeral Home, Laurel, is in charge of arrangements. Pat was born March 12, 1949, in Sioux City, Iowa, the oldest of nine children, to Harold and Phyllis (Isom) Burns and was raised on a farm south of Laurel. She graduated from Laurel Public High School in 1967 and attended Wayne State College earning bachelor’s degrees in math and English, followed by a master’s degree. In 1971, Pat embarked on a 41-year teaching career in the Nebraska public high school system that took her to Osmond, Laurel-Concord, Emerson-Hubbard, back to Laurel-Concord and finally to Bennington, where she retired in 2012. She was an assistant varsity volleyball coach at Emerson-Hubbard Public Schools and worked a short time at the University of Nebraska Northeast Research and Extension Center, Concord. She enjoyed substitute teaching until her brain cancer diagnosis in 2016. Pat was a member of Lions Club, United Methodist Women, Nebraska State Teachers Association, National Teachers of Mathematics, National Math Association, Delta Kappa Gamma Honorary Sorority and was proud to have been a lifelong blood donor. She was a problem solver who loved to engage in animated conversations that drew an absolute conclusion. Her passion for life, learning and sharing were contagious. She made learning fun. Pat loved to travel. Her greatest joys were engaging her family by watching their events, teaching them life skills or heading to the lake. Pat is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Heidi and Jason Claussen, Wayne; son and daughter-in law, Jared and Sara (Jones) Reinoehl, Bennington; and son and daughter-in-law, Jeremy and Christy (Blakeney) Reinoehl, Elkhorn; grandchildren, Theodore and Jay Claussen, Wayne; Jaden, Ella and Addison Reinoehl, Bennington; and Eva, Jackson and Blakeney Reinoehl, Elkhorn; siblings, Jean Muller and Steve Burns, Omaha; Monte and Linda Burns, and Tom and Lori Burns, Laurel; Betty and Bob Rager, Emerson; Don and Lori Burns, Norfolk; Ken and Chris Burns, Phoenix, Ariz.; and Judy and Don Jorgensen, Randolph; brother-in-law, Gary Reinoehl; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Glenna and Marvin Soucek, Verdigre; and many, many nieces and nephews. Pat was preceded in death by her husband, Harley Reinoehl, Sept. 25, 2018; mother and father, Harold and Phyllis (Isom) Burns; step mother, Darlene (Pigg) Burns; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Eva (Kemnitz) and Gale Reinoehl; sister-in-law, Esther Reinoehl; brother-in-law, Daniel Pavlik; brother-in-law, Herman “Skip” Muller III; niece, Nicole Burns; and nephew, Brandon Burns.