Alvin Reiner

Alvin Reiner, 95 years of age of West Hartford died Friday, September 18, 2020. Born in Waterbury, he was the son of the late Jacob and Anna Reiner. He was predeceased by his wife Lois Katz Reiner and daughter-in-law Fiona Carter Reiner, his brother Marvin Reiner and sister Florence Reiner Yassler. He leaves behind his son, Jim Reiner of West Hartford, daughter, Gail Reiner of East Granby, and grandchildren Ellen Arnstein and Reid Arnstein. In his youth, he worked for his family’s soda bottling company, driving himself to his driver’s license test, (“I’ve been delivering soda since I was 13.”) He enlisted in the infantry in WWII where he became an interpreter for the French army. He performed High Holiday services for Jewish troops and was given a US government issue Shofar. He reopened a Synagogue in Biarritz, France now on the National Register of Historic Places. He attended college in Biarritz, France and UCONN. As a founding member of Beth El Temple in West Hartford, Alvin blew Shofar and sang the morning prayers for the High Holidays for 63 consecutive years until he was 92. At the helm of The Mayflower Laundry & Drycleaning Company, he created Drapemasters of Hartford. He ran the Greater Hartford Laundry & Drycleaners Association, attended the Dyrcleaners Congress to China, where he was sought out to repair the new Beijing hotel’s flatwork ironer. He was President of the International Fabricare Institute. He was a founding member of Cliffside Country Club in Avon, where he and Lois had holes in one. He was a member of Tumblebrook Country Club. Since his earliest days in Hartford, he was active with the Masonic Temple and was awarded 33rd Degree Master Mason and the Bronze Pierpont Edwards Medal. He was a lifelong supporter of the arts , including the Hartford Symphony, Goodspeed Opera House, Theaterworks of Hartford, The Wadsworth Atheneum. He was known as Red Socks Reiner, for his trademark red socks. His life touched thousands of people with his jokes and stories told around the world.

Private funeral services will be graveside, Monday, September 21, 2020 at Beth El Temple Cemetery, Jackson St. Ext., Avon. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lois & Al Reiner Fund, c/o Beth El Temple, 2626 Albany Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117. Arrangements are entrusted to Weinstein Mortuary, Hartford. For further information, directions, or to sign the guest book for Alvin, please visit www.weinsteinmortuary.com/funerals.cfm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lois Al Reiner Fund, c/o Beth El Temple, 2626 Albany Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117.