Marilyn Reinert
05/22/33-02/14/24

Marilyn Jane Reinert (nee Uthe) left this life with the same joy she brought to it. As her husband Milt and daughters Julie and Jan were singing by her bedside Feb. 12, she chimed in on the choruses of "Lusty Month of May" and "Anything Goes." With sweet delight.

And Marilyn lived a life filled with and sharing delights. Most of that life was rooted" out in the country" on Uthe Lane– first as a daughter and Daddy's girl (with her Jack Russell Terrier and horse Baldy, who used to transport the town drunk safely home before he got a new owner) – then as a wife and mother. Those periods were punctuated by stints at William Woods College (quite a change from the one-room schoolhouse Marilyn attended in Black Jack), as a young secretary at Gardner Advertising, then as a newlywed in Ferguson, Mo.

She and Milt met through "The Fed," a St. Louis church-related federation of young people. According to Milt, their first rendezvous was a double date at a swimming pool. They'd often go to small nightclubs in the area, and Petit Pigalle on Lindell Blvd. was a favorite spot. Sweet Marilyn and Milton – M&M – were married on Aug. 18, 1956. At 100 degrees, it was the hottest day of the year. What attracted Milt to Marilyn? "Her dad had a tennis court," Milt teases.

Indeed, they both relished tennis and enjoyed many a "love match" together. Marilyn also had regular meetups on and off the court with the tennis ladies (who still lunch). Her athletic pursuits further included softball when she was younger, Curves fitness center when she got older, regular workouts in her Friendship Village years, and miles upon miles of walks with Milt on and around Uthe Lane.

Like her mother before her, Marilyn was a whiz on the sewing machine and made everything from curtains to clothes for herself and her loved ones. She also made music –a choir member throughout her life, a bell ringer at Immanuel UCC for years, and the #1 fan of Milt and her kids' and grandkids' musical pursuits forever.

Marilyn always had an easy laugh, a ready smile and a friendly word for virtually everyone. Yet some of her biggest smiles were shared with four-legged friends. A lover of felines and canines, she had a special place in her heart for dogs (and a ready stash of dog treats in her pocket). That's why the family asks that, rather than flowers, any contributions be made to CHAMP Assistance Dogs (https://www.champdogs.org).

Marilyn is survived by her husband Milton Jean Frederick Reinert of Chesterfield, Mo.; her daughter Julia Reinert (and Dennis) Collins of Bloomington, Ind.; her daughter Janet Reinert (and Jeppe) Sturis of Vaerloese, Denmark; and scads of beloved grandchildren, great-grandchildren, other family members and friends.

The Celebration of Marilyn's Life will be held at the Friendship Village Chapel at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. Address: 15201 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield, Mo., 63017.

There's a huge group of loved ones now delighting in Marilyn's reunion with them. And even more down here looking forward to seeing that impish grin and sweet glint in her eyes again.

Ortmann Stipanovich Funeral Home       www.osfuneralhomes.com