Phillip C. Reger

MADISON - Phillip Cary Reger of Madison, Wis., passed away peacefully at home on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, at the age of 76. Born in Madison on May 12, 1947, to George and Marie (Johanning) Reger, Phil was the youngest boy in a six-pack of children. His father, George, was an Alder in Madison, his mother, Marie, a homemaker. In 1952, the same year Jonas Salk began the quest for a vaccine, Phil contracted polio and became very ill. Thankfully he recovered, but his legs were affected, and he would require a number of surgeries and special leg braces to walk again. The braces, however, did not slow him down; he participated in Little League, All-City Intramural Basketball, and in Boy Scouts achieved the rank of Life Scout, only one degree below Eagle Scout. At Madison East High School, he excelled academically, participated in sports, was on student council, and played baritone in the band. Following family tradition, he was also politically active, and was the “Youth Mayor” of Madison his Freshman year. He graduated with honors in 1965, a proud Purgolder, and matriculated into the University of Wisconsin-Madison to become an even prouder Badger. He initially studied civil/mechanical engineering and joined Triangle Fraternity. In fact, it was at a Triangle mixer where he met his future wife, Lorraine, and the two married on Aug. 30,1969. Lorraine likes to claim that she “supported her husband through college,” as Phil had one additional semester to complete. In January of 1970, Phil, a recent President of Triangle Engineering Fraternity, graduated with a Minor in Engineering, but Bachelor’s of Business Administration, a bit of a surprise left turn.

Phil’s first job out of college was working for General Motors in Saginaw, Mich. The couple had many adventures in the Mitten State, including the addition of two daughters (Renée and Rachel) to the family census. Eventually, however, homesickness got the best of them, and the family of four moved back to Wisconsin. They settled in West Bend, as the city was equitably inconvenient to both Madison and Kenosha, where lived the respective in-laws. Their custom-built house was ready late 1974, and the family settled in. Ten years later, they made room for a third child, Andrew James (AJ), adopted from Korea. When not working, Phil was an avid golfer and league bowler (160 average). He also became involved in Community Theatre, directing, producing, and acting in many performances. Family and friends were invited to see the shows, and then the troupe would retire to the Reger home for legendary cast parties.

Phil also enjoyed camping with his extended family. At first, it was only the siblings and their spouses, each with a little Pop-Up. Eventually, however, it was a motley crew of brothers, sisters, parents, cousins, in-laws, offspring, and friends. By then, there were shiny luxury motorhomes, and fancy 5th-Wheels, with spare kids relegated to tents in the “back yards.” Memorial Day and Labor Day were sacred family weekends, consecrated by roasted marshmallows, and raucous songs belted in the flickering glow of firelight. These camping trips, surrounded by the people to whom he was closest, provided some of the happiest moments in his life.

Leisure time, unfortunately, was often in short supply. Phil’s children remember him traveling often at the behest of his employers. Over the course of years, Phil was on the payroll of Maysteel Industries, Hein Werner, Badger Meter, and Mayville Metal, working in Quality Control for each company. His interest and expertise in Quality Control naturally led him to become active in The American Society for Quality Control (Formerly ASQC, now ASQ). He was on the Board of Directors for the Milwaukee chapter, and eventually worked his way up to Chairman. In November of 1988, Phil was invited to be on the examining committee of the very first Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest presidential honor for performance excellence. For his service on the committee, he was invited to the White House where he met President Reagan and was awarded a plaque commemorating his participation.

Other awards followed, and in 1992, he left Mayville Metals to start his own Quality consulting business, Reger Quality Consultants (RQC). He had clients dotting the Midwest, all the way to Texas, and up to Canada. As the years progressed, Phil chose to ease back on his business, and began to reduce his client load. This gave more time for travel, and Badgers sporting events. By 2008, the weekly drives to Camp Randall and the Kohl Center were becoming increasingly onerous, so Phil and Lorraine moved to the outskirts of Madison. Phil continued his RQC consulting, while Lorraine helped her daughters with the grandchildren. To keep up with Phil’s siblings, they bought a property in Arizona and spent the snowiest part of the Wisconsin year amongst the cacti. It was during this time he began to notice some health changes. Finally. a routine blood test in April of 2023 revealed some blood abnormalities, and in May, he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Treatment was initiated, and family began savoring the days.

Phil did not so much have a “courageous battle” with his cancer, but a quiet understanding - as long as his condition did not impact his day-to-day functioning, Phil was largely able to ignore the specifics of the diagnosis. The blood draws and transfusions were time-consuming and inconvenient, but there was little pain, no nausea, and he managed to keep what hair he had not already lost. Events were added to a list and checked off one by one; he was able to attend the Johanning family reunion, to visit American Players Theatre, and travel to Lorraine’s High School Reunion. He had time to argue over the news, to indulge his predilection for single malt Scotches, try a few new restaurants, and collect bonus hugs from the grandkids. When asked how he was coping, Phil would answer, “I’m surprisingly unbothered.” Things were harder the last three days, but through it all Phil seemed composed and accepting. At the end, he was surrounded by people who loved him, and we hope that our love kept him company on his journey to the other side.

Phil is survived by his wife, Lorraine (Moehrke) Reger; children, Renée (Eric Kelsey) Reger-Kelsey, Rachel (Rob Acheatel) Reger and Andrew James (AJ) Reger; grandchildren, Sabrina, Deven and Jamison Kelsey, and Samara and Sarina Acheatel; and siblings, Donald (Patricia) Reger, Dennis (Mary Ruth) Reger and Deborah (Louis) Epps. Preceding him in death are his parents, George and Marie (Johanning) Reger; in-laws, Harold and Leona Moehrke; and siblings, Robert (Patricia) Reger and Marion (David) Schmidt.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2450 Atwood Ave., Madison, at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. Visitation will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, and again at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Tuesday. Due to construction at the church, the viewing and service will be held in the Gymnasium.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420