Funeral services for 94-year-old Reinhart “Reiny” Besel of St. James, Minnesota, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, July 21, 2016, at the First Lutheran Church in St. James. The church is located at 716 6th Avenue South.
Interment will be in Mount Hope Cemetery in rural St. James, located south of the city on Watonwan County Road #27.
Visitation will be at Sturm Funeral Home-St. James Chapel, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The funeral home is located at 906 10th Avenue South. A second visitation will be at the church the day of the funeral service from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Reinhart Besel passed away on Thursday, July 14, 2016, at Pleasant View Good Samaritan Home in St. James.
Arthur Reinhart Besel was born in Neusalz, Germany on September 10, 1921. Reinhart immigrated to the United States by way of Ellis Island with an older brother and his parents, Emanuel and Auguste Besel, in 1923, settling in Mountain Lake, Minnesota. He was proud of his German heritage and cherished his trips to the “Old Country” to hold onto connections with relatives displaced by World War II.
Reiny was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith. Reiny was an active member of First Lutheran Church in St. James. He graduated from Mountain Lake Public High School. He had a deep love and faith in the Lord, serving on various boards and committees, teaching Sunday School, singing in choirs, and was head usher for many years. He helped with many benefits sponsored by AAL, now Thrivent.
He enjoyed hearing stories of God’s work through the global missions he and Mildred supported. He helped build prayer cabins including one dedicated as the BESEL prayer cabin at the Wilderness Fellowship in Frederic, Wisconsin, giving others a chance to meet alone with God.
He will be remembered for his deep love of the land. He started farming with his horses, Prince and Silver, and later farmed with his John Deere tractors – a B, a 60, a 3010, 4010, and 4430. He raised livestock focusing on hogs and laying hens – delivering, “Eggs so fresh the hens haven’t missed them.” Reiny was active in Pork Producers, Farm Bureau, Minnesota Southwest Farm Management and Lions Club.
Reiny and Mildred met when Mildred stopped to help a young, handsome man on the side of the road with car trouble. Mildred had just heard the sermon of “The Good Samaritan.” This act of kindness led to Reiny and Mildred’s marriage on June 18, 1950; celebrating 66 years of marriage in 2016. To this union they were blessed with four children, 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren — with one more due any day. Supporting family was a fulfilling joy for him and he attended many concerts, recitals, confirmations and graduations of his children and grandchildren.
Reiny was known as a people person and would love to sit down with you and enjoy a conversation, especially if coffee and a cookie were involved. His love showed in his warm smile and the twinkle in his eye. His firm handshake was his hug and, “Auf Wiedersehen,” was his best wishes for you as you went on your way.
Reinhart was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Herbert and William Besel.
He is survived by his wife, Mildred, and four children, Norma Jean (Steve) Olson and their four children, Kären (Josh) Larson, Michael (Sarah) Olson, Brian (Maggie) Olson and Kjirsten (Eric) Biers and 11 grandchildren; Richard Reinhart (Kris) Besel and their two children, Jon (Jen) Besel and Denae (Todd) Olsen and three grandchildren; Kenneth John (Wendy) Besel and their three children, Dayn (Leah) Besel, Kyra Jungers, Treva Besel and four grandchildren and Paul William (Rhonda) Besel and their two children, Tucker Besel and Mckenzie Besel. Other survivors include two siblings, sister, Gertrude Coleman, St. James and brother, Gary (Elva) Besel, Mounds View, Minnesota, along with many nieces, nephews and cousins.