- Date Of Birth: February 28, 1949
- Date Of Death: April 23, 2021
- State: Indiana
Victor Paul Rini of Valparaiso, Indiana and Cleveland, Ohio passed away in the early morning of April 23, 2021 at the University of Chicago Hospital of complications related to a bone marrow transplant. He is survived by his wife Mary Rini (née Holman), his daughters Annemarie Rini and Rosalind Rini Larson, his son-in-law John Rini Larson, his brother Joseph Rini and his sister Roseanne Rini Mullen, his brother-in-law Patrick B. Mullen, and his valued community of family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Nicholas Rini and Charles Rini.
Victor was born on February 28, 1949 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the youngest son of Joseph Rini and Rose Rini (née Roberto). A grandson of Italian and Sicilian immigrants, he grew up surrounded by extended family and attended St. Ann’s Catholic School and Cathedral Latin High School. Exhibiting a tenacious work ethic throughout his life, Victor began working at the age of 6 when he started helping with the family fruit stand at the West Side Market. He was a lively and inquisitive child who drove his stoic father to distraction with his endless questions. Despite the tragic loss of his father when Victor was 16, he, his siblings, their mother, and their extended family remained close throughout their lives.
He met his wife Mary in 1982 at the American Group Psychotherapy Association conference in New York City, and they married on August 24, 1985. Together, they welcomed their children, Annemarie in 1988 and Rosalind in 1990, and raised them in Valparaiso. A dedicated family man, Victor was a warm and accessible father who fostered strength and independence in his daughters.
Victor graduated from Cleveland State University, Ohio State University, and the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, where he earned his doctorate in Psychology in 1997 while his children were babies and he was working full-time. He was blessed with incredible energy, zest for life, and an analytical mind which fueled his pursuit of new experiences. His professional career included time in community mental health and establishing his own private practice as a clinical psychologist. He was recognized in his field by both colleagues and clients as being warm, insightful, and skilled. Over the years, many of his clients have commented upon his healing impact on their lives, and it was clear to all that he was committed to their welfare. His career and pursuit of higher education inspired each of his daughters in their own way to pursue a Masters in Social Work and a Doctorate in Folklore, and he was immensely proud of their accomplishments.
A man of many skills and hobbies, Victor enjoyed watching movies, cooking, and riding his bicycle (around town as well as five times in the famed Hilly Hundred), but above all he loved music. He was happiest when he was listening to live music in a small club, be it in Chicago or Austin, and in recent years, he and Mary sought out performances of bluegrass, rock, R&B, reggae, and soul, among others. They traveled for music festivals like City Folk in Dayton, Ohio, and relished camping near and far with their coonhound Cooper. He loved to gather with his loved ones for celebratory meals of his time-perfected family recipes and meticulously undertaken culinary adventures. Victor had a wonderful sense of humor throughout his life, playing elaborate pranks that became Rini family lore and generally appreciating the comedy of everyday life.
Struck with a severe case of COVID-19 in March 2020, Victor fought back from the brink to become an early survivor of the pandemic that was then just beginning to overtake the globe. He returned strongly to his personal life and professional work within months of his illness, offering teletherapy services until a month before his procedure. Victor persevered with courage and grace through a grueling medical treatment plan and braved the risks of a transplant in the interest of living his life on his terms.
Victor was a beautiful, intelligent, loving man who spent his life providing for his family and contributing to others through his psychology practice. He will be sorely missed and never forgotten.
