Obituary of Richard John Riedell
Richard John Riedell passed away peacefully on March 11, 2018. He was 86 years of age. Born on July 17,1931 in Storm Lake, Iowa, he was the youngest of four children born to Esther Helen Riedell (nee Baldauf) and Edwald Michel Riedell. Richard spent his early years in the Midwest before moving to California and settling in Los Angeles in 1941.
Richard attended Loyola High School and then Los Angeles High School from which he graduated in 1950. In 1952, he married Mary Frances Marchesano with whom he had eight children. He later married his second wife, Winifred Mae McAfee. Since 1962, Richard was a resident of the Conejo Valley, residing in Newbury Park.
A child and grandchild of immigrants, Richard celebrated his Austrian and German ancestry as well as his Catholic heritage. He spoke of his Catholic faith and expressed how blessed he was to have a long, full life.
Richard began working for Water and Telephone in Santa Monica which later became GTE (General Telephone and Electronics). After moving to the Conejo Valley, he commuted to West Los Angeles where he continued working for GTE. During that time, he spent eight years as the on-site communication supervisor for all sports broadcasts, special events, and residence halls at UCLA. Richard was very proud of his time at UCLA, especially during the historic events that took place on campus during the 1960s and 70s. He continued working for GTE in Newbury Park until his retirement after 35 years of service.
Richard was most proud of his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. More than anything, he enjoyed spending time with his family, sharing meals around town at his many favorite restaurants.
Always on the go, Richard made friends wherever he went, chatting with strangers and acquaintances. He could start a conversation with anyone, joking and teasing, though always with a smile and a laugh. His interests were many and diverse: cooking, gardening, traveling, camping, fishing, movies, history, and sports; he followed local, college, and professional sports and especially loved basketball. Reading and following the news, he enjoyed talking about and debating topics including current events, history, politics, and sports.
Despite significant health issues in his last years, Richard stayed active and on the go. Richard will be remembered for his endless energy, generous spirit, style, humor, feisty personality, and love of sweets. He will be greatly missed by his family and all who knew him.
Richard is survived by his wife Winnie Riedell (nee McAfee) as well as his eight children: Richard Riedell, Stephen Riedell, Catherine Pisarev, Michael Riedell, Kimberly Jerrems, Daniel Riedell, Christie Riedell, and Robert Riedell. He is also survived by his seventeen grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
The family will have a private service to carry out Richard’s final wish to have his remains scattered in his beloved Pacific Ocean near the Channel Islands.
In honor of Richard’s life, donations may be made to:
Channel Islands National Park
1901 Spinnaker Drive
Ventura, CA 93001
Website: www.ciparkfoundation.org/
Email: info@ciparkfoundation.org