Rieniets, James (Jim) Henry

James (Jim) Henry Rieniets of Bradenton, Fla., 75, died Saturday, June 16,2012, after battling heart-related illness.

Born in Missoula, Mont., Jim was raised by his parents, John Henry and Martha Kruse Rieniets, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he attended Franklin High School. He went on to earn bachelors' degrees in science and architecture at the University of Houston, where he was also a member of the collegiate swim team. He built a successful architecture practice in the Houston area, and his professional accomplishments included being the project architect for The Summit sports arena in Houston, and being a recipient of the Alpha-Rho-Chi Honorary Architectural Medal. Later in life, he practiced architecture in Arkansas, Georgia and Florida, when his professional passion was contemporary residential design. Just last year, The Gazette in Cedar Rapids published an article revisiting Jim's 1961 college thesis project regarding a vision for the city's urban redevelopment by year 2000.

He is survived by his wife, Maggie Rieniets of Bradenton; daughter, Chelon Faustine Rieniets of North Venice, Fla.; son, James Henry Rieniets, Jr (wife Susie) of Nashville, Tn.; stepson, Chris Chappell; sister, Catherine Meta Beard of Pascagoula, Miss.; brother, William John Rieniets of Cedar Rapids; mother-in-law, Margaret Lehnert of Bradenton; sister-in-law, Barbara Darby (husband Dave); and his grandchildren, Sophie and Emma Hollingsworth of North Venice, Fla., and Henry, Grace and Ella Clare Rieniets of Nashville, Tn.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; brother-in-law, Robin Beard; and stepson, Matthew Chappell.

A memorial service is to be held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 20, at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 508 Riviera St., Venice, FL.

For those wishing to make a memorial donation, suggestions are: The Pines of Sarasota, The Salvation Army or Tidewell Hospice of Sarasota.

Published in The Gazette June 19, 2012.