Helen Margaret Reinhardt

Helen Margaret Reinhardt, 84, of St. Joseph, passed away Sunday, February, 19, 2012 at The Willows in St. Joseph after a short illness. According to her wishes, a private Celebration of Life will be held at a later date for her family and friends. Memorials may be made to Hospice at Home or the Humane Society of Southwestern Michigan. Those wishing to share a memory of Helen may do so online at www.starks-menchinger.com. Helen was born March 27, 1927 in Miami, FL to Frank & Ann (Jones) Thill Sr. She graduated from Fremont (Michigan) High School and then attended Western Michigan University where she received her Bachelor’s degree and Michigan State University where she received her Master’s Degree. On July 1, 1950 she married Robert Alan Reinhardt in St. Joseph. They were happily married for almost 49 years before his passing in 1999. Helen was a school teacher for Benton Harbor Area Schools for 30 years and also for Lakeshore Public Schools for 15 years. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and was a life-long educator. Helen cherished the time she spent with her extended family and many friends and truly enjoyed spending her days in her garden. Helen also loved reading, traveling and her pet cats. Helen is survived by her daughters, Lisa Reinhardt-Kosal of Novi, MI and Carole Reinhardt of St. Joseph, MI and her beloved twin sister, Virginia Brockway of Marina del Rey, CA. She enjoyed the love and friendship of many dear nieces and nephews: Martha Ann Held, Judy Curtis, David Brockway, Rick Brockway, Roberta Luttke, Mary Stegman and Christine Lockwitz, as well as numerous cousins. Helen was preceded in death by her parents, husband and brother, Frank “Jim” Thill Jr. She will be missed by the many people whose lives she touched.