Reinhardt, Janice M. (nee Mielke)

Janice M. Reinhardt (nee Mielke), passed away on February 2, 2023 in St. Louis, Missouri. She was born on October 20, 1946 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Beloved wife of Leonard G. Reinhardt; loving mother of Lisa (Stan) Drew, Bradley (Jodi) Reinhardt, Jennifer (Alec) Lappe, and “Baby Brother” (her cherished Maltese, Gunner);  cherished grandmother (“Nana”) of Justin (Ashley), Gabriela (Chris), A.J., Alana, Noah, Ben, Jett, and Tyler; great-grandmother (still “Nana”) of Alivia, Ethan, Amelia, Cristian, Camila, and Isabela; dear daughter of the late Arnold and Zoe (nee Leriche) Mielke; dear daughter-in-law of the late Lester and Mary Delores (nee McGuire) Reinhardt.

Our family lost our matriarch. Our beacon of beauty, of grace, of love. She was an adventurer in body, mind, and spirit. From a young age, she traveled often with her mother; a cherished custom she continued with her own children and grandchildren. Even at home, she was often on some expedition, as a book was never far from her hands. She adored travel, reading, and learning.

Janice also adored animals. She raised horses, cats, dogs, birds, and fish. Her last great animal companion, affectionately  known to the family as “Baby Brother” was her snuggle puppy, Gunner. One of her favorite pastimes was watching Professional Bull Riding, both live and on TV.

She was very close with her children and created a close knit and caring family. She found great joy in her weekly lunches with her children. She had a generous heart and always endeavored to pick out the perfect gift for her grandchildren and great grandchildren on special occasions.

Janice was grace in the face of many challenges throughout her life. Despite those challenges, she filled our lives with the beauty of pure love. Love for her husband. Love for her children and grandchildren. Love for her family and friends. Her love left a permanent imprint on our hearts. She will be greatly missed and loved eternally.

Services: There will be a Funeral Mass at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church, 6603 Christopher Drive, St. Louis, MO 63129 at 10:00 A.M. (CST) on Wednesday, February 8, 2023.  The Mass will last approximately 50 minutes. A Celebration of Life luncheon will follow the Mass in the Parish Center. There will not be a graveside service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Driven to Cure, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring awareness and provide funding for the research of rare kidney cancers like HLRCC in children and young adults. HLRCC is a rare genetic disorder that runs in Janice and several family members. Driven to Cure, 8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 200, Silver Spring, MD, 20910. www.driventocure.org