Paul Revere Riegel 1925-2009 Obituary
The Rev. Paul Revere Riegel, 83, a retired United Methodist minister, passed away on February 17, 2009, at United Hospital Center, Clarksburg.
The Rev. Riegel was born May 13, 1925, in the High Germany community of Randolph County, near Hemlock and Adolph. He was the son of the late Rev. Paul Riegel and the late Annie M. Brain of Mill Creek.
On November 18, 1946, he was married to Velma Lea Chewning by the Rev. Charles Pugh at the Methodist parsonage in Mill Creek.
The Rev. Riegel attended public schools in Griffin, Georgia, and Randolph County, including Adolph High School. The Rev. Riegel began his ministry in the early 1950s and received a Methodist license in October 1956. He attended Morris Harvey College and completed the Duke University Divinity Course of Study in 1961. The Rev. Riegel was ordained a deacon in 1960 and an elder in 1962 in the Methodist Church. Prior to his fulltime ministry, he served as supply minister for the late Rev. Darrell Jett on the Mill Creek Circuit and pastored the Job and Whitmer Methodist Churches for the late Rev. James Fisher.
He began his fulltime ministry in 1958 and was appointed 10 ministerial appointments, including approximately 40 churches located throughout West Virginia, until his retirement from the West Virginia United Methodist Church Conference in 1991. During his full time ministry, the Rev. Riegel served the Newlon Circuit (Buckhannon District), Coal City Winding Gulf Circuit (Beckley District), Levelton Hillsboro Circuit (Lewisburg District), Cedar Grove-Dickinson (Charleston District), Enterprise Charge (Fairmont and Buckhannon Districts), Grantsville Charge (Weston District), Camden-Cowen (Weston District), West Hamlin (Huntington District), Liberty (Buckhannon District) and East Vienna (Parkersburg District).
The Rev. Riegel’s longest serving appointments included the Enterprise and Liberty charges, with 21 years of fulltime service in Harrison County.
In the spirit and tradition of the United Methodist Church and like his father, a Methodist Protestant minister known as the “Circuit Walker,” the Rev. Riegel promoted evangelism during his ministry and served as an evangelist on several occasions. Throughout his ministry, the Rev. Riegel was provided with loving and caring support by his longtime companion and wife, Velma. After retirement, the Rev. Riegel and his wife resided in Quiet Dell, near Clarksburg, and continued post retirement ministerial functions until their failing health.
A World War II veteran, the Rev. Riegel served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 through 1945 and was assigned to several locations in both California and the South Pacific. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he returned to Randolph Country prior to his ministry and was employed in timber, coalmining, and as an automobile mechanic at various locations including both Smith Chevrolet and Sam Foster Chevrolet in Elkins.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Velma Chewning Riegel of Quiet Dell. Also, he is survived by three sons, Dwight Riegel and wife, Linda, of Buckhannon, Darris Riegel and wife, Mary Ann, of Mannington and Darrell Riegel of Dallas, Texas; three daughters, Doris Riegel of Clarksburg, Denene Carder and husband, Jeff, of Monongah, and Marlene Riegel of Fairmont; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and four brothers, Ralph Emerson Riegel of Davis, Okla., Macel Wayne Riegel of Ellamore, Margel Riegel of Finksburg and Elden Riegel of Mabie.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his eldest son, the late Darcy Riegel of Shinnston, and two infant children.
A noteworthy achievement for the Riegels was to raise their family and graduate all seven children from Shinnston High School.
A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, February 21, at Jerusalem United Methodist Church, near Mill Creek, with the Rev. Dr. Basil Hensley of Elkins officiating and the Rev. William “Wink” Lanham of Quiet Dell assisting. Interment will be in the Blue Rock United Methodist Church Cemetery, near Adolph.
Friends and family may call from 2 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Harmer Funeral Home, Shinnston, and from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at Tomblyn Funeral Home, Elkins.
Paul Revere Riegel 1925-2009 Obituary
