Barbara Jean Reetz

Barbara Jean Reetz was born in Wausau, Wisconsin on November 21, 1940 to Clarence and Dorothy (Zeibell) Dhein. She grew up in Wisconsin and graduated from high school in Appleton, WI. While in high school, she first met and briefly dated her future husband, Ron Reetz. Barbara earned a math scholarship to Beloit College, where she earned her teaching degree. While in college, Barbara met her first husband, John Gorin Sr. After graduating, they moved to Baltimore and she worked as a teacher for a couple of years before she began to teach swimming lessons at the YMCA. Barbara and John had two children together, Kelly and John Jr. After Barbara and John Sr. parted ways, a mutual friend reconnected Barbara with her high school sweetheart, Ron Reetz. Barbara relocated to Nebraska, where Ron lived, and they were married on August 13, 1977, and became a family of six with Ron’s children, Jennie and Matt. The family was later complete when their son Joe was born. She was an excellent swimming instructor and started her own business in Omaha and Elkhorn. Over the years, Barbara taught thousands of children how to swim. In her free time, Barbara was an avid Bridge player, and she was proud to become a Life Master. She was fiercely competitive, and her family loved to play cards and games with her, even though she repeatedly beat them, not even going easy on the youngest grandchild. She loved to watch sports and was a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan, became a Husker fan after moving to Nebraska, and more recently followed the Chicago Cubs. Half of Barbara’s years were spent in Florida, where she and Ron had purchased a home. She loved the beach and ocean, and even as she was less mobile, she enjoyed just sitting and watching the bay outside her home. Barbara’s biggest values were her faith, family, and friends. She had many close friendships in Nebraska and Florida, and she always created time for the people in her life and made saying yes to time with loved ones a priority. Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Dorothy Dhein, and her husband, Ron Reetz. She is survived by her children: Kelly Krohn (Jason), Jennie Reetz, John Gorin (Jennifer), Matt Reetz, Joe Reetz (Kimberlee); grandchildren: Troy Pilkington (Haley), Chandler Krohn, Ashley Krohn, Samantha Gorin, Sophia Gorin, J.B. Gorin III, Parker Reetz, Ella Reetz, Wren Reetz, and Gus Reetz; and sister, Rosemary Schneider (Roger). VISITATION: Monday, August 31, 2026 from 10-11 AM at Bethany Lutheran Church, 4200 N. 204th St. Elkhorn, NE with a FUNERAL SERVICE to follow at 11:00 AM. Memorials may be directed to Down Syndrome Innovations, https://www.downsyndromeinnovations.org/give-now

Barbara Jean Reetz

November 21, 1940 - August 24, 2026