Gale A. Rinehart

Gale Auris Rinehart " The Mushroom Man", 89, of Galena, Ohio and Bradenton, Florida went to the Morel mushroom patch in the heavens on November 30, 2021. Gale was born on May 23, 1932 in Mt. Gilead, Ohio to Lucas Gale "Pete" and Mary Irene (Wirick) Rinehart. He lived an incredible and adventurous life and loved Morels. Gale received his Bachelors in education from Ashland University and went on to receive his Masters in education at Westminster in New Wilmington, PA. He served this country proudly in the Navy on the aircraft carrier USS Leyte during the Korean war and received the Naval Occupation Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. Gale loved his family, education, sailing across the oceans, sports (especially the Buckeyes and the Browns), gardening, fishing, sunsets and was an avid Morel mushroom hunter in many different states...oh! he loved Morels. His most recent hunt was in the Buffalo Mountains in Tennessee this year. He was a devoted teacher, coach for several sports aka "Rowdy Rinehart", principal and retired from Ohio Department of Education. He was honored in 2017 on the football field at Versailles for his years of being a football coach '62-'67. Gale will be deeply missed by his wife Ann "Rupe"; daughters Claudia (Ray) Pate; Janna (Eric) Robinson; Ann Brandt; "daughter" Lucy Rupert (Michael Smith); sons Kurt (Priscilla) Rinehart; Eric (Kristin) Rinehart; 15 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren; 1st mate Canaan Madden; brothers Ronnie Rinehart and Dean (Sandy) Rinehart; sister Brenda Campo; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Gale was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents Charles (Emma) Rinehart; maternal grandparents Auris (Cora) Wirick; son Charles Rinehart; brothers and sisters; Janet, Lawrence, Alberta "Abby", Judy and Edwin "Red." We want to give lots of love to his caretaker/extended family Kayleigh Fields who he loved playing cribbage with and their time together. From his wife, Ann: You were my love, my joy, my everything. You were a free spirit who always showed me the ways to follow on uncharted paths and uncharted waters. We had a beautiful, blessed and fun-filled life together. Thanks for taking me on an awesome journey and you did it "your way." I love you to pieces….Rupe. A celebration of his magnificent life and those lives he touched in so many ways will be set at a later date per Gale's wishes. In lieu of flowers you may make contributions in his name to the Big Walnut Athletic Boosters who pay for children that can not afford to play sports or a charity of your choice. Was it mentioned that he really LOVED morels? Godspeed...