John Reichardt Obituary

John Douglas “Doug” Reichardt, a dynamic member of the Des Moines community, was surrounded by his family as he passed away peacefully on October 11, 2024, at the age of 70 after his valiant battle against cancer.

Doug dedicated himself to his family, friends, work and the many causes he cared about in Des Moines, Okoboji, Scottsdale, Boulder, and Sioux Falls.

Doug is survived by Debbie, the love of his life and devoted wife of 48 years. They traveled the world and pursued their dreams together. Their three children, Kristin (Seth) Hall, Katie (Jim) Bishop, Randy (Sarah) Reichardt, and six cherished grandchildren, motivated him to stay active and involved in a multitude of interests including cycling, wellness, social issues affecting inner-city youth, and attracting young people to the Des Moines community. He is also survived by his siblings, Duke (Carole) Reichardt and Barb (Buz) Weisberg, who will continue to bring joy and tell great stories to the entire family.

Doug joined Holmes Murphy & Associates as their first-ever intern and made a 30+ year career of it, reaching the role of CEO and Chairman. There he inspired countless young insurance professionals to pursue their goals. After his retirement from HMA, he fueled his entrepreneurial spirit by working with Businessolver, a company he co-founded, which has become a leader in the benefits management technology sector. Doug’s passion for mentoring culminated into a business novel called “The Best Seller,” which he co-wrote with his daughter, Katie Bishop.

He was deeply involved in the community; he served as Chairman of organizations close to his heart: The Iowa Sports Foundation/Iowa Games, Iowa’s Healthiest State Initiative, Young Presidents Organization, Wellness Council of Iowa, Greater Des Moines Partnership, Greater Des Moines Committee, United Way of Central Iowa Campaign, Regional Business Development Board, Greater Des Moines Community Development and was a founding member of the Water Works Park Foundation.

Doug lit up every room he danced into with his charisma and sincere interest in people’s lives. He will be remembered for his adventuresome spirit, wise advice, and the enthusiastic energy he brought to every gathering.

The memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2024, in the Coppola Chapel at Dowling Catholic High School @ 10:30am, followed by a reception @ 1pm at Wakonda Club to celebrate Doug Reichardt’s life.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to the Reichardt Family Fund for future charitable giving to the community at: www.desmoinesfoundation.org/reichardt
Please direct condolence letters to: Reichardt c/o Scott Flood @ 1200 Grand Ave, WDM, IA 50265.

For those unable to attend in person, the funeral service will be live streamed. A link will appear toward the bottom of Doug's obituary page at www.IlesCares.com, where you can also leave online condolences.