Frank Riel of San Diego, died May 13, 2013, from complications from a stroke in 2011. Frank was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Frank J. Riel, Sr. and Edna Southam, growing up with his brother Jimmy. He received his B.A. from The Citadel and then served in the Persian Gulf Command in the U.S. Army. In Iran, he met and proposed to Edith Merica who later came to American to marry Frank on Dec. 28, 1946. Over the next eleven years, Frank and Edith had eight children all of whom have since settled in San Diego County. In 1953, they moved to San Diego and Frank began working as a chemical engineer (PhD Purdue University) at Narmco and later at Rohr creating over 25 patents for bonding agents in the aerospace industry. After retiring, Frank volunteered as a tutor in the Read San Diego Adult Literacy Program. He has been a longtime member of the San Diego Zoological Society and parishioner at St. Vincent de Paul Church. Frank is survived by his wife, Edith Riel, his eight children, Richard Riel, Edward Riel, Margaret Riel, Francie Sorem, Carol Benesch, Robert Riel, Elizabeth Gillingham, and Roberta Hartman, and their 22 grandchildren, and soon to be 11 great- grandchildren. Services May 17 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Vincent de Paul. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in this name to the church – Read/San Diego Literacy Program, Citadel Scholarship fund, 632 El Portal Drive Chula Vista, CA 91914, or St. Vincent de Paul 4077 Ibis St., SD 92103. Tags: 1941
Posted in:
Posted on:
Link to original obituary: