John Ely Riegel (Sandy), of Montchanin, DE and Fishers Island, NY, died peacefully in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday, November 26, 2016.
Born in 1938, Sandy was the son of the late Edith duPont and Richard Eveland Riegel. He attended Tower Hill School, the Lawrenceville School, the Watkinson School and the University of Delaware. Sandy also served four years in the United States Navy as an electronics technician aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Midway.
Sandy was a member of the Board of Directors of the Boys Club of Wilmington DE from 1976 to 2012 and served as Board Chair from 1986 to 1990, establishing a strategic plan to offer services to include girls and expand the footprint to central and southern Delaware. He was a past-president of the Wilmington Club and the Delaware Society of Colonial Wars. Additionally, he served on the Board of Directors of Mystic Seaport in Mystic, CT, the Bermuda Biological Research Station, St. John’s Episcopal Church of Fishers Island, NY, the Fishers Island Club and as board member and past-Commodore of the Fishers Island Yacht Club.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years A. Deborah duP. Riegel (Debbie); a son John E. Riegel Jr (Chip) and daughter-in-law Amanda G. Riegel of Providence, RI and their two daughters; and a daughter Deborah duP. Riegel (Missy) of Winter Park, FL. He is also survived by his sisters Edith Riegel Miller and her husband Michael of Bethesda, MD and their children and grandchildren; Natalie Riegel Weymouth and her husband Philip B. Weymouth, Jr. of Montchanin, DE and their children and grandchildren; and Esther Riegel Wright and her husband David of Ocala, FL. In addition, he is survived by his sister-in-law Barbara Riegel of Hobe Sound FL wife of his brother Richard E. Riegel Jr, who pre-deceased him, and their children and grandchildren.
The family would like to thank the nurses and staff of the Stonegates Health Center for their amazing care in the last stage of Sandy’s life.
A private service will be held for family and friends. In lieu of flowers and gifts, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware. Gifts may also be made to the Fishers Island Library in support of the “Preserve, Transform and Strengthen” campaign.
Published in The News Journal from November 30 to December 2, 2016
