Obituary of Wayne H. Rheinfeld

WEB OBIT WEB OBIT WEB OBIT Wayne H Rheinfeld, of Goshen NY, passed away on February 2, 2022 at Garnet Medical Center, surrounded by his loving friends. He is survived by cousin Bonnie O'Neil of NYC, and his much loved, furry companion, Rooney, a Golden Retriever he adopted 12 years ago from Walden Humane Society. Wayne was born in Far Rockaway Queens NY to Melvin and Jane Rheinfeld on September 28, 1947. He spent summers on the beach at Far Rockaway with cousin Bonnie & childhood friend Joey Pescatore. He attended Far Rockaway schools and received a degree in Business from Pace University in NYC. After graduation, he worked many years for Shelby Business Forms as a Sales Representative and District Manager in NYC, managing accounts and training new representatives. Wayne moved to Goshen in the late 1970's when he bought the two story "fixer upper" stone carriage house located next door to his Uncle Leslie's historic 1860's home. Weekends were spent with family and friends fixing up the carriage house and its grounds and enjoying large family meals in his uncle's kitchen. Wayne designed the interior architecture of the carriage house and did most of the work, teaching himself the necessary woodworking skills and creating a magnificent home. He educated himself in landscaping principles using natural plantings with features of water, stone & color. Wayne had a keen, artistic eye. He loved studying the history of interesting old things. From childhood, he and his father collected Railroadiana and attended all events involving trains. He also spent time at the Coney Island Fire Station which was near the Coney Island movie theatre his father managed, and was often invited by firefighters to take an exhilarating ride on a fire truck through Coney Island. A big deal for a kid! These experiences fed his fascination with trains, ships, horse drawn vehicles and the such, and led him to build an impressive varied collection. He was also an innovative cook and enjoyed collaborating with friends on recipes. We celebrated every holiday with notable feasts and conjured up new summer cocktails & great cookouts. He was very funny and was known for his often sarcastic wit, making one laugh or, sometimes, cry. Wayne was lucky to have great neighbors and he cherished the conversations they shared over the years. They helped each other through difficult times and formed strong bonds. The same can be said for friends from childhood and beyond. Wayne was an essential "member of the family" to Jean Buckley and her husband Eric as well as to his next door neighbors Susan & Will Brinson. Frequent treks together into NYC and exploring areas in the Hudson Valley were a delight. Wayne cherished his wonderful dog Rooney. Rooney loved swimming at Tillson Lake chasing after toys. Dog park dates with best dog buddy Mishka were another favorite. Rooney is now living with the family of Jean Buckley. He'll be going to swim again soon at Tilllson Lake. Wayne is loved and very much missed. His remains will be buried in the family plot at Mount Ararat Cemetery in East Farmingdale NY. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the animal shelter or rescue of your choice. A Celebration of Life will be held on June 26, 2022. For additional information and details please contact Donovan Funeral Home 845-294-6422.