Vernon Riehle

Vernon Hubert Riehle, age 89, died Friday, June 14, 2019, at his home in Detroit Lakes, MN. Vern was born on December 18, 1929 to Henry P. Riehle and Anna M. Riehle (Ramler) in Foxholm, North Dakota. His family moved to Grand Rapids, MN when he was 2 years old. Vern attended school in a one-room schoolhouse in Arbo Township until 8th grade and graduated from Grand Rapids High School in 1947. He enlisted in the Navy in 1950 and served as an Electronics Technician 3rd Class on the flagship U.S.S. Adirondack during the Korean War. Upon discharge from the Navy in 1954, Vern attended Northwestern Electronics Institute in Minneapolis. He was then hired by Northwestern Bell Telephone Company. He married Mary Louise Warner, Bemidji, in 1957 and the couple moved to various locations in Minnesota before settling permanently in Detroit Lakes to raise their family of five children. He took special pride in the home he built in the woods. Vern retired from the telephone company after 35 years. Vern was a gifted wood carver, a hobby that started as a lad when he would climb into the wood box behind the kitchen stove with his mother’s paring knife and carve little animals to play with from cedar wood. His children treasure the many carvings he gifted to them over the years. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Howard, Lloyd, Nathan, Irvin, and Jesse, and his sisters Ursula and Mary Ann. He is survived by his wife Mary; his children Neil (Charlene Hirst) of Citrus Heights, CA, Eric (Terrin) of Callaway, MN, Darrel of Detroit Lakes, MN, Maren Schuman (David) of Hawley, MN and Mark of St. Paul, MN; grandchildren Kassandra, Shaun, Samuel, Clyde, Dylan and Kaitlyn; two great-grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces. The family would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Hospice of the Red River Valley.