Richard Albert Griessel

Richard Albert Griessel, 80, of Winston-Salem, NC, passed away on June 30, 2023 after a valiant battle with esophageal cancer. Richard was born on May 20, 1943 to William Paul and Ethel Elizabeth (Shafer) Griessel in Niskayuna, NY. After graduating from high school in 1960, Richard enlisted in the Army and was stationed at Fort Dix and abroad. He served 3 years, then moved to Iowa to attend Northwestern College in Orange City. There, not only did he attain a BA in education with an emphasis in art, but he also met and married the love of his life and his wife of 58 years, Jeannette Louise (Meyer) Griessel. Together, they moved to Muscatine, Iowa, where Richard taught art and coached wrestling and baseball at Muscatine Community College. He achieved his master’s degree in education administration, from NE Missouri State University in Kirksville in 1971, and was named Iowa Baseball Coach of the year in 1972. Together, Richard and Jeannette brought two daughters into the world, Monica Elizabeth, and Chanda Annette. In 1973 Richard bought 280 acres in Crawfordsville, Iowa, and made the brave leap into farming. Over the next decade, there were many lean years, many long hours in the fields, and many late cold nights caring for livestock. But mostly, there was love, companionship, responsibility, and the creation of close family bonds. Together, the family raised champion purebred Simmental Cattle, built fences, baled hay, and grew crops of soybeans, corn, and hay. To support his family, Richard had to take on many jobs in addition to farming. He worked for Liqui-Grow in Washington, IA, spraying chemicals on fields, and supervised the construction of doors for Mid-America in Mt. Pleasant, IA.  In 2004, Richard and Jeannette retired from farming and moved to North Carolina to be near their daughter Chanda. Richard continued to stay busy at home and in his neighborhood, applying his many talents and making friends.  On his 79th birthday, Richard was diagnosed with metastatic esophageal cancer. Over the course of the ensuing year, he fought for his life as hard as he possibly could and survived to experience a wonderful 80th birthday party surrounded by his wife, daughters, all his grandchildren, his close family and friends, and his beloved dogs. Richard passed away in the comfort of his home, experiencing the love of his wife and his dogs up until he drew his last breath. Richard was a force of nature, always determined to provide for his family and to launch his daughters into the world primed for success. All who knew Richard, knew that there was no one who could out work him! He was unfailingly proud of his daughters and would go to the ends of the earth to support them. Monica and Chanda both attribute their ability to withstand life’s challenges to the lessons they learned from their father. He will be sorely missed. Richard is predeceased by his father, William Paul Griessel and his stepfather, Clifford Leonard Hayner. He is survived by his mother, Ethel Elizabeth Hayner (Zephyrhills, FL), his brother, William Arthur Griessel (Wesley Chapel, FL), his half-sister, Jan Louise (Griessel) Austin (Talking Rock, GA), his step-brother Bruce Allen Duke (Talking Rock, GA), his wife, Jeannette Louise Griessel (Winston-Salem, NC), daughter Monica Elizabeth (Griessel) Berner and son-in-law Paul Edwin Berner (Helena Montana), granddaughter Grace Frances Berner, and grandson Arleigh Edwin Berner, daughter Chanda Annette Griessel and son-in-law Adam Brown (Lewisville, NC), and grandsons Brigham Walker Mobley and Bronson Maddox Brown. There will be a celebration of life 1:00 PM Saturday November 25, 2023 at Lewisville Baptist Church.