Deceased September 23, 2019
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In Memory
Chuck Reiners, an Amherst gentleman and scholar, later an outstanding pediatrician, died on Sept. 23, apparently from heart failure. After graduating from Amherst, Chuck attended the Upstate Medical School in Syracuse, N.Y.; did his internship and residency in Syracuse; served in the military; and started his pediatric practice in Fayetteville, N.Y., which soon thrived. After 22 years in practice, he returned to Upstate Medical as an associate professor of pediatrics and also operated a clinic there for indigent children.
I met Chuck as a pleasant and agreeable frosh and later became better acquainted with him as a fraternity brother at Theta Delta Chi, where he was treasurer in his senior year. “Ceps,” short for bi-ceps, as he was known in the house, was a freshman swimmer and football player and lettered in swimming in his junior and senior years. He was a chemistry-biology major and an ROTC graduate.
Chuck and his wife were our personal friends for more than 30 years, and my wife and I were fortunate to have had Chuck as our son’s pediatrician. He was extremely conscientious and knowledgeable. He personally answered early morning phone questions while eating breakfast, and there was no extra charge for it. After he retired, Chuck gave us very valuable advice on a medical issue relating to our grandson. We are doubly thankful to have had the benefit of his unfailingly accurate pediatric advice.
Chuck had previously survived a serious auto accident, with the other driver going through a stoplight, and a life-threatening heart attack.
Frankly, by my estimate, Chuck was a great guy and a big contributor to the Syracuse area medical profession and everybody else he came into contact with. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; three children; and five grandchildren. He will be sorely missed.
George A. Mathewson ’57