Louis W. (Mike) Riegel was born in Queens, NY on December 1, 1935 to Louis and Maria Riegel. Louis and his older brother Jean were renamed Mike and Pat (after a popular comedy pair) by a neighbor who felt they needed “good Irish names.” The names stuck.
After serving in the Army in Germany and an honorable discharge in 1962, Mike met his future wife, Anne, at a Valentine’s dance in New York. He followed the German girl first to Florida and later to Denver, where they married and set off to the West Coast. Arriving in San Francisco, they had son Mark. Five years later, having moved to El Granada in 1969, they had son Yurik.
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At home, Mike was an avid oil painter. He exhibited locally and his works adorn the walls of family and friends’ homes. He was a voracious reader of spy novels and would eventually fill many bookshelves with authors like Dick Francis, John LeCarrie, and Len Deighton. He eventually started a hiking club for seniors in the early 90s that is still active today.
Some of his other pastimes included: betting on horses at Bay Meadows, beating his sons at chess, telling Democrat jokes, eating eggplant pizza from “that place in San Francisco,” playing poker with his friends, and lamenting the day he had to give up martinis.
Mike Riegel loved El Granada. It was his dream-come-true to live here in his own house. He died at home Tuesday evening, July 22, 2008 at the age of 72. He is survived by his wife Anne, son Yurik, son Mark, and Mark’s wife, Valerie. A memorial will be held September 21 and his ashes scattered over the San Francisco Bay.
Goodbye, Dad. We love you.
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