He was born Feb. 4, 1929, in St. Louis, the second son of Nicholas and Reba (Burke) Reisinger. He was a child of the Great Depression and a Catholic family. These two influences impacted his life. Father Reisinger’s Catholic education, from his first day of school through graduate education, formed him into the man and priest he was to become. He attended St. James the Greater School (1934-42), Cathedral Latin School (1942-44) and St. Louis Preparatory Seminary (1944-1946). He entered the novitiate of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) on May 18, 1946. Upon completing his novitiate at St. Mary of the Barrens in 1948, he continued his philosophy and theology studies at St. Mary’s, and was ordained on May 29, 1959 by St. Louis Auxiliary Bishop Leo Byrne.

Father Reisinger’s first assignment was at St. Francis Seminary, Bethany, Oklahoma (1955-58). In his assignment letter, the provincial said he was to teach either English literature or mathematics, whichever the rector thought would be of greatest need. He entered this first assignment with enthusiasm and zeal. He served as a math and science teacher at St. John’s Seminary, Kansas City (1958-59) and then returned to his alma mater, St. Louis Prep Seminary from (1959-62) where he continued to teach math and science. At the same time, he studied at Saint Louis University, where he earned a master’s degree in education.

Father Reisinger moved to Perryville, where he joined the faculty of St. Mary of the Barrens Seminary as a professor of mathematics and science. He was assigned to teach calculus, a course he had never taken. He enrolled in a calculus course at Southeast Missouri State, where he literally taught what he had learned. During his 10-year tenure at the Barrens, Father Reisinger also engaged in parish ministry at St. Joseph Parish in Highland, Missouri.

In 1972, Father Reisinger moved to St. Vincent de Paul Parish, where he served as associate pastor (1972-76) and then as pastor (1976-82). He was said to have truly cared for his people, and knew them all.

In 1982, he was assigned as pastor to St. Theresa Church in Dixon, Missouri, where he served for 31 years. He also took on a second parish, St. Cornelius in Crocker, Missouri, from 1992-2013.

At the age of 84, Father Reisinger returned to St. Mary of the Barrens to be a senior confrere in residence. Over the last seven years, he was assigned to a apostolate of prayer, praying for our benefactors and for the mission of the Congregation. He loved going fishing out at the seminary lake, and just as often could be found clearing brush, trees and shrubs from the lake property — beautifying the lake he loved. He also walked around the grounds collecting black walnuts from the seminary grounds, selling them in town and donating the money to the poor.

Burial was in the Vincentian Community Cemetery in Perryville.