Frank J. Reinecke, 81, of Baileyville, KS, died Sunday, December 15, 2002, at his home. He was recently diagnosed with pancreatic and liver cancer.

He was born February 9, 1921, the son of John J. and Rose Hohe Reinecke, on the Reinecke homestead east of Baileyville. He grew up there, attended Sacred Heart School in Baileyville, helped on the family farm, and later worked on a farm near Axtell.

On April 15, 1942, he married Mary C. Schmitz at St. Mary’s Church in St. Benedict. They lived on a farm east of Axtell until he was drafted into the military during World War II. He served in with the U.S. Army Air Corps in China, Burma and India. He was a flight engineer on C-46 cargo planes delivering supplies over the Himalayan Mountains. After he returned from the service on December 8, 1945, he and Mary moved to a farm southeast of Baileyville in January of 1946, which is their present home. Frank was a farmer and a stockman, retiring in 1994; he kept active with gardening and flowers.

His memberships include Sacred Heart Church in Baileyville, where he was a lay minister, served on the parish council, and sang in the church choir. Frank served on the District #451 School Board in Baileyville. He was also member of the Knights of Columbus #1769 and the Earle W. Taylor Post #21 of the American Legion, both in Seneca.

Survivors besides his wife Mary are three sons, Elwin Reinecke of Berryton, KS, Jim Reinecke of Seneca, John Reinecke of Charlotte, NC; three daughters, Linda Walrod of Weatherby Lake, MO, Carol Caffrey of Lillis, KS, Julie Strathman of Bern, KS; a brother, Clarence “Mike” Reinecke of Seneca; four sisters, Sr. Theophane Reinecke, O.S.B. of Atchison, Helen Stallbaumer, Rita Holthaus, and Rose Ann Nordhus, all of Seneca; 20 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Clara Sextro on July 5, 2000.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 AM Wednesday at Sacred Heart Church in Baileyville. Burial will be in the church cemetery with full military honors provided by the American Legion. Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Tuesday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorials may be given for Sacred Heart Church or the Northeast Kansas Hospice of Hiawatha, and sent in care of the family.