Obituary of Herb J Reuss

Hubert "Herb" Reuss

(March 19, 1956- May 30, 2020)

The world has lost a great man. Hubert “Herb” Reuss passed away at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, VA on Saturday, May 30, 2020, following a heart attack twelve days earlier.

Herb was born on March 19, 1956, in Omaha, Nebraska to Hubert and Edna (Walker) Reuss, the youngest of seven children. He attended Our Lady of Lourdes, Central High School, and the University of Nebraska-Omaha. After graduating, he began his career at Peter Kiewit Sons in January of 1980. Herb recently celebrated his 40^th year with Kiewit, where he was a beloved mentor to many and proud that he was an integral part of the company he loved.

Herb’s position first took him to Seattle, Washington where he met and married Joan Killingsworth on June 21, 1986. They had two children: Leanna and Michelle. During his career, the family lived in Washington, Hawaii, California, Alaska, Colorado, Nebraska, and Virginia. While there were challenges related to moving, the family met and remained in contact with many friends from around the country.While he appeared a stoic man, Herb was deeply passionate, especially when it came to his family.  He was brought to tears the day his eldest daughter, Leanna, left for Navy Officer Candidate School, telling her how proud he was. He also enjoyed sharing his love of sports with Leanna, especially golf, encouraging her to learn at a young age. Later, they could frequently be found at the range together, sharing a bucket of balls and a round of beers.

One special memory Michelle had as a child was singing with her dad. They could frequently be heard singing, ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’, around the house.  Herb continued his bond with Michelle into adulthood, sharing her appreciation for design and business. He always encouraged her to pursue her passion while embedding his wisdom. She had the gift of living with her dad for the past two months during the Covid-19 crisis. They quickly settled into a routine of Taco Tuesdays and Italian Night Fridays.

Herb and Joan were frequent travelers, road tripping around the country and Canada for skiing in the winter and visiting family and friends during the summer. They were also able to visit Europe multiple times and took a river cruise on the Danube River recently. Joan will no doubt continue to travel and take Herb’s memory everywhere she goes.

Despite living in many states, Herb remained a devoted Nebraska Cornhusker fan and season ticket holder, returning each year to attend football games at the same Memorial Stadium he grew up visiting with his dad. He participated in many sports throughout his life, but golf became his passion. A regular at the ‘Killer Open’ in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin and a member of the Players Club in Omaha, he also visited the links in Scotland, England, and most recently, Ireland.

The family was moved by a recent Kiewit Building Group announcement written by a close colleague, “Our grief is real. It is testament to the happiness Herb brought to our lives and the emptiness we feel at his passing. Mourning is how we express our grief and that mourning is a tribute to Herb and his family. But the grief will pass, and the mourning will come to an end and that will not be enough tribute for this man. So, beyond the grief, living each day to its fullest and taking the time to find balance by letting the people in my life know how important they are to me is the way I will choose to honor my colleague and great friend, Herb Reuss.”   

Herb is survived by his wife, Joan Killingsworth, and daughters, Leanna Reuss & Michelle Reuss. He is also survived by his siblings Tom (Deb) Reuss, Dennis Reuss, Richard Reuss, Jerry (Janie) Reuss, Pam Rohde, Angel (Winn) Linsey, and numerous nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Hubert and Edna Reuss.

There will a ‘Celebration of Life’ in Omaha for Herb at a later date. Messages to the family, along with stories about Herb and his “Herbisms” can be shared on adventfuneral.com.  We’d love to have you tell your favorite stories about Herb.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may go to a charity of your choice or to The First Tee of Omaha (firstteeomaha.org). This organization’s focus is purchasing age-appropriate golf equipment, along with training, for in-school and after school golf programs. Herb’s family would like to focus on elementary-aged, low income schools in South and North Omaha. Many of you golfed with Herb over the years and know how much he loved the game. We’d be honored to have his legacy introduce the game of golf to the youth of Omaha, who would otherwise not have an opportunity to play. Go to www.firstteeomaha.org or contact Jeff Porter at jporter@thefirstteeomaha.org and/or 402-679-3433. Their address is 12020 Shamrock Plz., Suite 200, Omaha, NE 68154.