Dr. Mervin Reines

Obituary Notice

DR. MERVIN REINES, devoted husband, loving father, respected educator, and gifted sculptor, left this world a better place on October 21, 2005 at the age of 87. Mervin was born on April 7, 1918 in New York City to Max and Anna Reines and spent his childhood in Patterson, New Jersey. He received his Bachelors, Masters and PhD at Penn State University.

Mervin is survived by Shirley Reines, wife of 63 years, son Michael Seth of Mesa, Arizona, daughter Bonnie and son-in-law Dr. Bill Jacobson of Little Rock, Arkansas, and younger brother Albert Reines of Tamarac, Florida.

During World War II, Mervin proudly served as a U.S. Marine Corps Captain in the South Pacific. From 1954 to 1981, he was a respected professor at the University of Georgia School of Forest Resources, retiring as professor emeritus.

Mervin, one of the Founders of Sandy Creek Nature Center in Athens, Georgia, served on the Board of the University of Georgia Botanical Gardens and on numerous committees for the Athens Regional Library, Council on Aging, and Congregation Children of Israel.

Mervin, an accomplished sculptor, visual artist, and passionate patron of the arts, was a veritable Renaissance man with an insatiable hunger for truth and knowledge.

A service in Little Rock, Arkansas to honor the memory and life of Dr. Mervin Reines will be held on Thursday, November 3, 2005, at 6:15 pm, in the Chapel at Parkway Village, 14300 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock.

A service in Athens, Georgia to honor the memory and life of Dr. Mervin Reines will be held on Sunday, December 4, 2005, at 1:30 pm, at Congregation Children of Israel, 115 Dudley Drive, Athens, Georgia, followed by a reception.

In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions to Heifer International, PO Box 8058, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72203 or www.heifer.org.

Cremation arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home. To view the obituary and sign the online guestbook, visit www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.

Register Book

Tina Brownile
Charlotte, North Carolina
Email: tbrownlie@carolina.rr.com

My heart goes out to you all in this time of grief.
Walt Barrow
Monument, Colorado

With love and affection, the Harvey family sends its wishes for strength and peace to all who mourn his passing. He managed to touch even those of us whose time with him was all too limited. Yet, his kindness and strength remain in our memories. On behalf of all of us: Tessa, Brian, Matthew, Rachel, Lauren, Michael and me: May his memory be a blessing as his life was an example.
Robert B. Harvey
Saint Louis, Missouri
Email: robert.harvey@gmail.com

Dr. Reines was my hero for WW11, best forestry prof. and friend. My wife Jackie, nursed him in ICU. God bless you in your great loss.
Larry E. Pierce
Title: BSFR `70. MFR `71 now retired
Georgia
Email: lepierce@alltel.net

Bonnie, Ray and I just came from a KY/TN fall trip. Thank you for sending the lovely obituary for your Dad. It was a fitting tribute to such a fine man...so well written and with much thought. You, Bill and Shirley are all in my thoughts and warm prayers go to you all in this time of sorrow.
Margaret and Ray Fizer
Sherwood Arkansas

I'll always have fond memories of Merv at the Seders at Sophie's home in Athens. My condolences to Shirley, Michael Seth, and Bonnie.
Art Auerbach
Atlanta, Georgia
Email: artauerbach@comcast.net

My sincere condolences, especially to Bonnie. I did not know your father, but if you are anything like him, he was a wonderful man.
Norman Shifman
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Email: norman.shifman@gmail.com

Lisa Jablow
Waterville, VT/NYC, NY
Email: uffda@pshift.com

Deborah Davis
Athens,Georgia

Our cousin Mervin was instrumental in helping keep the Reines family in touch with each other. We remember with pleasure the visits with his family we had as children in Sunnyside, Queens and our contacts with Merv and Shirley over the years. His memory will live on in us and our children as we recount the stories of the Reines family and Mervin and Shirley's place in it. Olav haSholem, Mervin.
Paul & Ana M Shane
Professor and Social Scientist
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Email: pshane@andromeda.rutgers.edu

We will miss Merv's smiling face and ascerbic humor.
Lorna & Elliot Messing
Athens, Georgia

Thinking of you all and sending our sympathy and love.
Jack and Ethel Foster
Athens, Georgia
Email: horseshoeacres@bellsouth.net

We don't get to choose our relatives, so I suppose I was just lucky to have a cousin like Mervin. The trees are crying today.
Steve Horowitz and family
New Britain, Connecticut
Email: Horowitzs@CCSU.EDU

We will always remember Merv for his loving and caring spirit, and the way he took us under his wings making us, as newcomers, feel at home in Athens. Our many hours together will always live in our memory. Our heartfelt condolences to Shirley, Seth, Bonnie, and Bill.
Donald & Meta Backer
Athens, Georgia
Email: sarphback@copper.net

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Merv and my (Rick's) father, Ira, were born merely seven days apart and shared deep generational influences. I came late in appreciating the life experiences of men their age, the depression, the war, and building family lives after all that. We are so happy to have been able to know your father, Bonnie. He literally sparkled - a lovely, intelligent, and warm man. He made a difference, touched many lives, and he won't be forgotten.
Rick & Brenda Scott
Maumelle, Arkansas

We are truly saddened to hear of Merv's recent illness and passing. We will keep his memory in our thoughts and prayers.
Eric and Patricia Kardon
Athens, Georgia

When Bonnie called I immediately remembered our Sunday family walks along Pelham Parkway in the Bronx, and our visits to the Bronx Zoo. Merv was a special cousin, mentoring me through school projects, and being a special "big brother." There are also wonderful memories of occasional weekend "over the river" visits to the Reines home in Patterson, New Jersey where Merv and Al would take me to the terrorizing haunted house. Then every other Saturday visits at Bubby and Zadie's home in Brooklyn - memories that bind families and love. We shared a wonderful vacation together at Hilton Head, strolling the beach and sharing our wonderful stories of growing up together in Pelham Parkway and Sunnyside.
Marsha & Bob Fidoten
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Email: rfidoten@aol.com

JoAnn and Harry Yates
Research Entomologist
Athens, Georgia
Email: hjyatesiii@aol.com

My heart goes out to you, Shirley and to your family. May all your wonderful memories give you much comfort and solace. I remember my visits with you and Merv in Athens with such good humor and warmth.
Lillian E. Chin, M. D.
Ed Chin's kid sister
Philadelphia,Pennsylvania
Email: philalil@juno.com

One of my very favorite uncles - you will be greatly missed and fondly remembered.
Laurie Pines
San Jose, California
Email: lpines@att.net

In the course of human events we knew each other a comparatively short time - but that time was beautiful to me..May you rest in well earned peace..
Cousin Florence Banks
Rick Wasserman and Alan Wasserman
Columbus,New Jersey

It was a pleasure knowing Mervin even if it was for very short periods when he came to Florida to visit Uncle Martin Reines. I remember the good times we had driving around Hollywood, Florida eating homemade Lemon Ice. My father Sol Reines also was very fond of Mervin and always had nice things to say about him especially about growing up in Paterson, New Jersey with him and Marty. His pleasant nature will be missed.
Richard Alan Reines
Family Physician
Hollywood, Florida
Email: RichGeePee@aol.com

Ellie and Ivan Terzieff
Tucson, Arizona
Email: eterzieff@msn.com

Merv was a friend from the time I first arrived in Athens in June 1965. He and Archie Patterson made sure I was "oriented" to the Athens Community during that first year, and I developed a wonderful respect for them both during that time. Since I was a new faculty member, and in fact not very experienced in teaching "Wood Tech", Merv was a wonderful mentor as I learned more about wood structure and identification. He was a consistent friend over the years too, and after his retirement it was always great to see him at Athens Symphony concerts. Shirley was always interested in our "strange" family too, and always asked about them all when Joyce and I saw them. I always thought that Bonnie was the prettiest Forestry Club Sweetheart I ever saw, and Michael's plays and other projects always sounded so interesting as Merv explained them. What a family, and what a life. Thanks for it all.
Julian R. Beckwith, III
Associate Professor Emeritus
Athens, Georgia
Email: jjbeck3@bellsouth.net

Our family knew Merv only briefly, but the few moments we spent with him left us with the impression of what kind of special person he was. We remember mostly his smile through which his kindness and intelllect shone. Having been close to Bonnie during her sojurn in Toronto so many years ago, there was no doubt how she loved and respected her father (she spoke of him glowingly and often) and we are certain thet he will be much missed. Our hearts are with Bonnie and Bill and the rest of the family .
Sharon and Bobby Katz
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Email: bernardlk@hotmail.com

With fond memories of our time in Athens with Shirley, Merv, Bonnie and Michael. Merv was a stalwart supporter of the Hillel program at the University of Georgia and a spark in our faculty discussion group. Merv and Shirley were godparents to our first born son, Bernie. May Merv's memory be a blessing to all.
Rabbi Frank A Fischer
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Email: rabfisch@nc.rr.com

Dear Miss Shirley and family, I just want you to know that you are in the hearts and minds of the Campbell family both in Georgia and in Kentucky. Your family has given us many happy memories and
we share in your loss. Love,
Kay Campbell Spencer
Athens, Georgia
Email: jimbospencer@mindspring.com

We only knew Mervin for a short time, yet he had an impact on our family. He started me reading again. And our grandson, Isaiah, is fascinated by a small carving that Mervin gave him. We will miss him.
David and Barbara Behnke
Little Rock, Arkansas
Email: dfbehnke@yahoo.com

I know the Family will always remember Dr. Reines as a loving and caring Family Member.
As one of many students that had the good fortune to share Forestry Classes taught by Dr. Reines, I will always appreciate his knowledge, but most of all, his ability to make each of us feel that he truly cared about us and our future. I will always remember Dr. Reines as my Friend. He was very special Man.
Harold H. Rozier, Jr.
Forester
Blackshear, Georgia
Email: haroldrozier@accessatc.net

Most of my memories of Mervin are when I was a small boy. I remember Mervin courting Shirley, and how handsome he looked in his Marine Corps uniform. I remember Mervin tossing me around like a ball; of course, I was small at the time but he was very strong.
My wife Soledad knew him very briefly, but Mervin's interest and kindness were evident to her immediately. Mervin will be greatly missed.
Larry Rubin
New York, New York
Email: ilr1@columbia.edu

To a man whom I loved dearly - Shalom; I felt honored to find this love reciprocated.
Amos Zeichner
Psychologist
Athens, Georgia
Email: zeichner@egon.psy.uga.edu