OBITUARY: Mildred Riegel
Mildred Riegel, 91 of Harrisburg, passed away Saturday, Aug. 2, 2014, at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Ind.
Mildred was born on Feb. 22, 1923, in Brushy Township to Bertha (Upchurch) and Lloyd Reynolds. After graduating from Harrisburg High School in 1941, she attended Draughn Business College in Paducah, Ky. She then worked in abstracting for Dister, Witcher & Ward and in the Saline County Assessors Office in the Court House.
On Nov. 20, 1941, Mildred married Regnald Riegel. The couple enjoyed 72 years of marriage. Besides a successful marriage, Mildred and Regnald owned and operated Riegel Farm Equipment, Lawn & Garden, Inc. for 25 years, Riegel's Flowers & Gifts for 5 years, and DHR Trucking Company for eight years.
Mildred was a member of Union Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian (UCCP) Church in Brushy Township from 1939 until 1997 when she joined the 1st United Methodist Church in Harrisburg. She was Past Matron of Eastern Star in Galatia and later transferred to the Harrisburg Chapter. She was a lifetime member of Beta Sigma Phi and was instrumental in organizing Phi Gama Nu Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi.
Throughout her life, Mildred had numerous interests and talents. She had a gifted voice and sang solos, duets and led the choir at the UCCP church. She was an excellent cook and seamstress, and enjoyed landscaping, flower gardening, flower arranging, Towle painting, designing and making stain glass windows, decorating, genealogy and canning fruits and vegetables. Throughout her married life she and Regnald enjoyed traveling and boating together.
In addition to her husband, Regnald, she is survived by two daughters, Linda (husband Fred) Winders of Harrisburg and Regina (husband Bill) Demeter of Crown Point, Ind.; grandchildren, Nicole (Winders) Lyerla of Evansville, Ind., Heather (Demeter) (husband Rich) Carter of Duluth, Minn., Mitchell Demeter of Valparaiso, Ind., and Carli Demeter of Crown Point, Ind.; great-grandsons, Paul Lyerla of Evansville, Ind., and Kurt and Kyle Carter of Duluth, Minn.; nephews, Vernon Bond of Harrisburg, Jerry (wife Sherry) Edwards; niece Cheryl (Edwards) (husband Frank) Haunschild of Phoenix, Ariz.; and several great-nieces and -nephews.
Besides her parents, Mildred was preceded in death by her son Larry Riegel and her sister Wilma (Reynolds) Bond both of Harrisburg.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014, at the First United Methodist Church. The Rev. Christine Cunningham will officiate. Burial will follow in Sunset Lawn Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014, at Reed Funeral Chapel and from 10 a.m. to service time Wednesday, Aug. 6 at the 1st United Methodist Church. For those who wish, donations may be made to 1st United Methodist Church. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
Condolences may be sent to the family through the Obituary Page at the Internet site www.reedfuneralchapel.com.
More than anything, Mildred loved caring for her family and sharing her many talents with them including a sense of humor. She gave of herself selflessly to them. Although she will be missed by her family and friends, she leaves behind a legacy of giving, hard work, ethics, and family values, gifts that will be cherished by all.