Billy was born to on September 17, 1955 to Martin and Irene Reisch in Howard, South Dakota. He quietly and peacefully passed away at The INN Between on August 11, 2017, from prostate cancer, at the age of 61.
Billy’s true passion was his family. He adored his grandchildren, and his face was never happier than when he spoke of them. They play sports, and Billy loved to update us on the scores of their games.
He was an avid fan of NASCAR and the Dallas Cowboys. He loved playing Yahtzee and visiting with everyone in our home, sharing stories about his life as a commercial truck driver and how he dearly missed driving his truck. He also loved to dance.
Billy grew up on a farm and liked down home cooking. As a picky eater, he often did his own cooking. which meant he would make lunch for The INN Between’s staff too!
Billy arrived at The INN Between on August 9, 2016, for a short recuperative stay after major surgery. He had technically died on the operating table and he was determined to get healthy and active with his renewed lease on life. He rode his bike, went to his grandchildren’s games and walked laps around the building several times a day. We noticed that he started to slow down, and a doctor appointment determined that a groin pull was the likely cause of his pain. When the pain became too great, Billy spoke with our hospice nurse, and it was discovered the pain was due to a cancerous mass. Billy was eventually placed on hospice. He never fully bounced back, becoming weaker and more reflective as time went on. In January, Billy told us that he would not make it past summer. Sadly, his prophecy came true.
Billy lived at The INN Between for 368 days, and we consider him part of our family. He would often tell us to “drive safe” as we left for the day, and he would call our cell phones to wish us well on the holidays. He loved living at The INN Between and expressed that with hugs. His loss has been deeply felt by our staff and volunteers.
Billy is survived by his sister Bonnie (Gary) Wolf of South Dakota, two sons; Jeremy Rae of Minneapolis, Minnesota and Kyle (Holly) Reisch of Bountiful, Utah as well as four grandchildren and his two former spouses; Diana Rea and Debbie Thomson.
The public is invited to attend a memorial service for Billy on Thursday September 7, 2017 at 11am at The INN Between, 340 S. Goshen (1040 West), Salt Lake City, Utah. A complimentary lunch will be served following the service.