Rinas, Bruno S.

Bruno S. Rinas, 92, a longtime Marion High School educator completed his life's journey on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011, at Lantern Park Care Facility in Coralville, Iowa. Those whose lives he touched, and they are many, will affirm that the Master's blessing, enunciated by Jesus in Matthew 25:21 is one which will certainly accrue to Bruno:

Well done, thou good and faithful servant,

Thou hast been faithful in a few things,

I will make you ruler over many things.

Enter thee into the Joy of thy Master.

Bruno was born on Jan. 8, 1919, in Egeland, N.D. He was raised on a farm in rural North Dakota, attended the Egeland Community Schools, graduating in 1937. Upon graduation, he worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps building park and trail infrastructure in the upper Midwest. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corp in 1941 and served in the Philippines. He was among the 20,000 plus Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor taken prisoner by the Japanese Army. He survived 44 months as a POW in forced labor camps in the Philippines and Japan. On release, he was shipped to Shick Hospital in Clinton for convalescent leave. There he met a care giver, Frances Ann Thompson. He and Fran were married Dec. 27, 1945 in Clinton. They purchased and operated a farm in North Dakota until 1949 when, using the GI Bill, Bruno went to Iowa State University in Ames. He earned his BS degree, Phi Beta Kappa, in just 2 ½ years.

In 1952, he took a job with Marion High School as a vocational agriculture and industrial arts instructor. In 1959, Bruno earned his Master's degree in Physical Sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He returned to Marion as the High School's Physics, Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis instructor, also teaching Biology and Mathematics as needed. He retired in 1983. Most treasured among his 30 odd years of memorabilia are several letters from former students thanking him for the positive impact he had on their lives and careers.

Retirement meant joining Fran, in her antique business for another 15 years. During that period he also became involved in competitive duplicate Bridge, playing in several local clubs as well as competing in sectional, regional and national tournaments. He relished the competition and the friendship and camaraderie oflike-minded enthusiasts. He earned the title Life Master… and those who knew him will agree that the title applies not only to his Bridge skills but to his life in its entirety.

Bruno was an active member of Faith Lutheran and St. Paul's Lutheran churches in Marion. He supported the Democratic Party and numerous local and national charitable organizations including Habitat for Humanity, VFW, Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, The National World War II Museum, the Salvation Army and the Marion Independent School District Foundation. On Oct. 18, Bruno traveled with other veterans on an Honor Flight to visit the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C. He was loved and will be missed by many.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Albertina and Adolph; wife, Frances; siblings, Elsie, Otto, Edna, Arthur, Lois, Howard, Robert and Arlene; a son. Mark; and a grandson, Matthew.

He is survived by four siblings, Evelyn, Agnes, Ray and Hugo; a son, Joe; two daughters, Barbara (Cordis) Bechler and Linda (Kurt) Livingston; daughter-in-law, Jennifer; nine grandchildren, Shelly, Corrine, YaVonne, Ronald, John, Jennifer, Nicholas, Joshua and Justin, 11 great grandchildren; and give great-great-grandchildren; as well asdozens of nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be at Faith Lutheran Church, Boyson Road in Marion on Monday, Dec. 12, at 1 p.m. A visitation will be held at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home on Sunday, Dec. 11 from 3 to 5 p.m. and at Faith Lutheran Church from 11 a.m. AM until service time on Monday.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Marion Independent School District Foundation or a charity of your choosing.

Please leave a message or tribute to Bruno's family on theWeb page, under Obituaries.

Published in The Gazette Dec. 6, 2011.