Jeffery C. Rhein, age 53 of rural Omro, a widely known Oshkosh area building contractor and home remodeler, died Thursday evening, March 10, 2011 after a nine-month battle with brain cancer at Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital.

 

Jeff was born April 6, 1957 in Fond du Lac, WI, the son of Kenneth and Jocelyn Henning Rhein.  He was a 1975 graduate of Lomira High School and graduated from UW-Oshkosh.  On August 16, 1986 he was united in marriage to Kathleen Travanty in Kenosha, WI.

 

Over the years, Jeff and his crew built many homes in the Omro/Oshkosh area and handled a number of remodeling projects.  Much of his construction consisted of building homes for his close friends.  He and his wife, Kathy, also are owners of Riverhill Apartments, a multi-unit complex on the Fox River in Omro, which Jeff and his crew built.

 

As a young man, Jeff sought out a rigorous life.  He played college rugby, a rugged sport, and earlier spent time working on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.  On a gentler note, he enjoyed singing and acting, including his participation in a Green Lake Players Theater summertime production.  His other qualities included a warm sense of humor and the knack of making friends and nurturing friendships through the years.  Friends are quick to spell out Jeff's attributes.  He was a patient person who was happy to share his knowledge of the building trades and home maintenance, while freely giving advice.  Jeff would say, "If I can help a person, that's what I choose to do".  Jeff’s attributes and virtues served him well as he battled this end of life crisis of brain cancer.  He will be greatly missed.

 

A father of two sons, Marco and Joseph, and a daughter, Maria, Jeff was also active in coaching youth athletics; soccer and basketball in particular.  Jeff valued the long-term benefits of participation in athletics such as the discipline, camaraderie, and fun, as well as character building.  Love of family was always apparent.  Jeff was a great husband and father, and so conscientious and compassionate.  As anyone who came in contact with him could see, he was a special person.  Recently, Jeff served as a chaperone for the Berlin High School Science Club spring trip to Washington D.C.  He appreciated the opportunity to spend the entire week of this adventure with his daughter, her close friends, and the new valued friendships he made along the way.  Because Jeff so greatly valued higher education for all children, money donations will be used for the college education funds of Marco, Maria, and Joseph.

 

Jeff is survived by his wife, Kathleen; two sons, Marco and Joseph; a daughter, Maria; two sisters, Judy (Bill) Nelson of Elm Grove and Beth (Jack) Johnson of Madison; two brothers, Chuck (Mary) Rhein of Brownsville and David (Karen) Rhein also of Brownsville; mother-in-law, Rita Travanty; two brothers-in-law, Robert Travanty and Marc (Margaret Clark) Travanti; and further survived by some of the greatest friends in the world.  He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Emma, and his parents.