Jack Riegle Obituary

A Celebration of Life for Jack H. Riegle, 82, Lawrence will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 24 2016 at Theatre Lawrence. He made his final exit from the stage on Monday, August 15, 2016 at Pioneer Ridge Retirement Community.

Jack was born January 26, 1934 in Independence, KS, the son of Ellis W. and Marian (McFarland) Riegle and grew up in Chanute playing baseball and becoming the state high school tennis champion.

He attended the University of Kansas, studying Architectural Engineering and representing KU at the Nationals in Tennis. He was a civil engineer for 38 years with Facilities and Operations at the University of Kansas, where his duties often included painting the Jayhawk on the football field and end zones. He retired in 1997.

In 1986 he began a long association with Theatre Lawrence, first as a volunteer and later as Scenic Designer and Technical Director. His creative and innovative set designs delighted audiences and his approach to scene design for small spaces was featured in Stage Directions Magazine. He was honored with two Phoenix Awards from the City of Lawrence, one for his volunteer work and a later one for his scenic artistry. Jack's knowledge of building, of spatial relationships and of theatre interactions guided and shaped the planning, design and building process of the current Theatre Lawrence.

Jack was an avid baseball fan and little league coach for the South Park City League, earning the title "Mr. Statistics," a member of KU Retirees Club, Board of Directors of Lawrence Community Theatre, and the US Institute of Technical Theatre.

He married Ines Eastburn June 13, 1954 in Chanute, KS with 62 years of marriage she survives of the home.

Other survivors include his 4 dogs, Benji, Molly, Waldo and Max; two sons, Warren "Mark" Riegle, wife, Tana Alexander, Grove, OK, Steven Blake Riegle, wife, Karen McWhirt, Lawrence; two granddaughters, Nicole and Samantha Riegle (mother, Jolene Gregory Riegle); step grandchildren, Matthew and Jessica McWhirt, and their daughter, Violet, Jessie McWhirt Jones and daughter, Avery; brothers and sister, Warren Riegle (deceased) wife, Bitsy Riegle Gulbenk, their two daughters, and one son, all from Nashville, TN, Dana Ruth Riegle Miller, husband, George and their one daughter, Hadley; and two sons, Matthew and Trey, Scott Riegle, wife, Anne and their son, Joe and daughter, Lauren; Norita Riegle Murray, and husband, Richard and their children, Richard, Grace and Margret, and sister, Patricia (Riegle) Fox (deceased) husband, Herb Fox (deceased) their daughter, Linda (Fox) Jones, and her husband, Hal and son Ryan, wife, Tanah, Chanute, KS and their son, Beckett; and Robert Riegle, wife, Lucille (deceased) 2nd oldest brother (living) Wichita, KS.

Memorials may be made in his name to Theatre Lawrence, and may be sent in care of the Warren-McElwain Mortuary.

Online condolences may be sent to warrenmcelwain.com.