If you knew Steve Reents, you probably knew at least one story about his kids, his grandkids, an auction bargain, or a painting job. And if you were one of his fifth graders, you probably remember working just a little harder in hopes of earning the coveted “cold drink of water.”
Steve passed away on July 30, 2026, at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis at the age of 81.
Born to Edward and Mary Mildred (Gross) Reents in South Bend, Indiana on June 25, 1945, Steve grew up in Kosciusko County along the banks of the Tippecanoe River. He and his brother, Mark, spent countless hours fishing, skipping rocks, and, every now and then, falling into the river.
After graduating from Leesburg High School in 1963, Steve attended Manchester College, earning his bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education in 1967. He later received his master’s degree in Elementary Education from Butler University in 1970.
Steve spent 38 years teaching—three years at Kirklin and 35 years at Clinton Central Elementary—dedicating his career to ten-year-olds. He liked to joke that he “could never pass fifth grade,” so after 38 years, he finally decided it was time to move on.
Teaching naturally led to coaching, and Steve loved every minute of it. For 32 years he coached fifth-grade football and boys’ and girls’ basketball, and for 40 years he faithfully kept statistics for Clinton Central High School football. He retired from the classroom in 2005, but he never stopped teaching life lessons, telling stories, or encouraging kids.
One of Steve’s favorite stories began with a student who arranged a blind date. That date turned into a 56-year love story. Steve married Carol Henry, a local farm girl, on August 3, 1969. Together they built a wonderful life and raised two children, Jason and Julie. His students often felt like they knew Jason and Julie personally, thanks to Steve’s daily classroom stories that somehow always circled back to long division.
Julie inherited her dad’s love of sports, and the two spent countless hours in the driveway playing H-O-R-S-E. Somewhere between free throws and ball-handling drills, they found time to figure out life together.
Summers found Steve painting houses with his principal, mentor, and friend, Richard “Dick” Swackhammer, owner of CC Paint Crew. Steve eventually became Dick’s partner and later the business’s owner. In retirement, he painted full time, becoming known around the area simply as “Steve the Painter.” Many of his customers never realized they had hired a beloved fifth-grade teacher with multiple college degrees.
Steve also spent 25 years as the clerk for GL Smith Auctioneers, where he enjoyed a front-row seat to countless treasures—and he rarely went home empty-handed. His garage and shed became legendary collections of auction finds. He sold many of those treasures at weekend flea markets, helping fund vacations with Carol and his beloved dog, Cooper.
Retirement gave Steve something else he treasured: time. He, Carol, and their faithful dog, Cooper, enjoyed countless adventures together. Some of Steve’s happiest days were spent walking beaches with Cooper, hunting for seashells and birds and enjoying the simple things. Julie loved to joke that Cooper got to go on more vacations than she ever did growing up—a fact that her dad didn’t dispute.
Nothing brought Steve more pride than his family, especially his grandchildren. He never missed an opportunity to tell someone about his “grand triplets” and the rest of his crew. He is survived by his wife, Carol; his daughter, Julie Wood (fiancé Jason Schepis) of Eureka, Missouri; and his five grandchildren: Harper (fiancé Trenton Edgar), Reagan, Fletcher, Savannah, and Hudson, all of Eureka. He is also survived by his brother, Mark (Mary) Reents of Los Osos, California, and nephews Alan (Sheila) and Cary (Danielle), both of Fresno, California.
Steve also considered himself fortunate to be adopted into Carol’s family, and they happily adopted him right back. He is survived by Marvin Henry; Lois and Larry Weaver; sisters-in-law Judy and Martha Henry; along with many cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.
He was preceded in death by his son, Jason; his parents, Edward and Mildred Reents; his in-laws, Ray and Freda Henry; brothers-in-law Gary and Leland Henry; sister-in-law Terry Henry; and his boss, mentor, and friend, Richard “Dick” Swackhammer.
Family and friends are invited to celebrate Steve’s life during visitation from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, August 28, at Goodwin Funeral Home in Frankfort. Funeral services will be held at Goodwin on Saturday, August 29, at 1:30 p.m., with Pastor Gary Walker officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Kirklin. During the service, Steve’s beloved son, Jason, will also be laid to rest beside his father.
Steve measured his life not by accomplishments but by people—his students, teammates, family, friends, customers, and anyone willing to listen to one of his treasured stories. He leaves behind classrooms full of memories, countless games coached, homes painted, auction treasures collected, and a family who was fortunate enough to love and be loved by an extraordinary man.
Goodwin Funeral Home is honored to assist the Reents family. Please visit goodwinfuneralhome.com where you may leave a condolence with the family.