Charles “Chuck” Robert Reinhart, longtime and well-known resident of Ann Arbor, MI, late of Grand Rapids, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 3, 2021, at the impressive age of 96.
Chuck grew up in the Dearborn area and in 1943, after his freshman year at Michigan State, he was drafted into the Navy and served in WWII on Bainbridge Island, Washington, where he met Betty Jean Armstrong who was to become his wife of 40 years and mother to their four daughters. After the war and graduating from MSU, he joined Stouffer Corp. in Detroit and Cleveland.
In 1951 Chuck purchased The Parrot, a beloved Ann Arbor restaurant on State Street. After selling the Parrot, he entered the real estate business, partnering with Dick Caldwell and forming the Caldwell and Reinhart Co., that became an iconic fixture in the Ann Arbor real estate market as the Charles Reinhart Company.
Chuck was involved in many community activities, including serving as President of the Ann Arbor Board of Realtors, the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce, Barton Hills Country Club and was active in the Ann Arbor Community Foundation, First of America Bank’s advisory board, Civic Theater, the Ann Arbor City Planning Commission, the First Presbyterian Church, and Glacier Hills Retirement Village.
Chuck was preceded in death by his first wife, Betty Armstrong in 1982; by his second wife, Betty Bunting in 2015; and by granddaughter Megan Balzhiser. He will be sadly missed by his four daughters: Leslie (John) Shape, Janet (Steve) Brown, Peggy (Gary) Balzhiser and Sally (John) Malnor; two stepdaughters: Becky Rice and Ann (Les) Behrens-Sha; eight grandchildren: Kelly (William) Wade, Andrew (Tamara) Shape, Katie (John) Swords, Michael (Tami) Brown, Lindsey (Greg) Heath, Andrew Malnor, Jeffrey (Tara) Malnor and Molly Malnor; and by 11 great grandchildren.
Throughout his life, Chuck participated in numerous recreational activities playing tennis, golf, and bridge; he loved watching years of Michigan football and basketball; he enjoyed traveling to Sanibel and around the world; and especially enjoyed having dinners with friends at Knights. As evidenced by his working until he was 96, his greatest joys were his friends, family, his company and the people around him. Chuck’s totally positive outlook on life was an inspiration to all he came in contact with.
The family will hold a private memorial service at later date. In lieu of flowers a charitable donation in Chuck’s name may be made to Spectrum Hospice, Grand Rapids, MI, Ann Arbor Food Gatherers or to a local food bank of your choice.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Charles Reinhart, please visit our floral store.