Walter J. Reklaitis, age 85, of Sheboygan, died on Sunday, November 3, 2019 at the Sheboygan Progressive Health Care Center. He was born in Sheboygan on January 4, 1934, the son of the late Walter and Anastasia Jesinski Reklaitis.
He attended St. Peter Claver Grade School, South Side Junior High School and graduated from Sheboygan Central High School in 1952. While in high school he was an outstanding athlete participating in basketball, football and track. On August 27, 1955 he was united in marriage to Grace Garling in Sheboygan.
Wally and Grace were the owner/operators of Rek’s Bar on 12
th
and Broadway for 37 years from 1956 to 1993. Wally was inducted into the Sheboygan Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 1990, the Sheboygan South High School Wall of Fame in 1996, the Sheboygan Softball Association Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Sheboygan County Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 2015. Wally played football for the Sheboygan County Redwings from 1953 to 1955 and has been a member of Sheboygan YMCA since 1955. He logged thousands of miles swimming at the YMCA and the Sheboygan Quarry. Wally will always be remembered by many former customers, teammates, competitors and friends.
Survivors include his wife, Grace, of Sheboygan; a son, Randall (Mary) Reklaitis, of Sheboygan; three grandchildren, Lindsay Reklaitis, of New York, Tanner (Jessica) Reklaitis and Jared Reklaitis, both of Sheboygan. Wally is also survived by a special niece, Lynne (Jeff) Schuette, of Arizona; a stepsister, Sharon (Kenneth) Thimmig, of Oostburg and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law and mother-in-law, Dr. N.C. and Malitta Garling, brothers-in-law, Keith (Ruth) Garling, Robert (Barbara) Garling, a sister-in-law, Marilyn (Carroll) Schiffler, a stepbrother, Thomas Mehlberg, and aunts, uncles and cousins.
Family and friends may gather at the Reinbold-Novak Funeral Home, 1535 South 12
th
Street, Sheboygan on Thursday evening November 7, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Burial will take place at Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution in Wally’s name to the Sheboygan YMCA. A heartfelt thank you is extended to the caregivers at Sheboygan Progressive Care Center for their compassion and care that was given to Wally. Online condolences may be expressed at
www.reinboldfh.com
