Adeline Roehl Riffel
Written by Spokesman Review staff
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 19:53

Adeline (Roehl) Riffel was born in Forbes, North Dakota, on March 25, 1928, to Fredrick and Lydia (Boepple) Roehl and passed away May 22, 2010, at her home in Spokane, Washington.

She grew up in Dighton, Kansas, as one of their 17 children. She graduated from Enterprise Academy in Enterprise, Kansas, in 1946, and attended Walla Walla College in Walla Walla, Washington, for the equivalent of three years, also teaching school for three years, before marrying Gordon Riffel on June 12, 1952.

Gordon and Adeline lived in the Bourbon-Sullivan, Missouri area for nearly 40 years where they raised five children, while Gordon served as the family doctor to much of the surrounding area. Adeline was a busy homemaker who also served as Gordons office and payroll manager. She faithfully discharged many varied responsibilities in the Bourbon Seventh-day Adventist church and school, as well.

They retired in 1998, moving to Spokane, Washington. Back home in their beloved Pacific Northwest, they focused on time with their beloved family. She was a godly woman of faith and integrity, leaving an amazing legacy of what it means to live an unselfish life.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Fredrick and Lydia Roehl; four sisters; six brothers; one son, Steven Edward Riffel and a granddaughter, Angela.

She is survived by her husband, Gordon; three daughters, Krista (Riffel) Woodruff, Debbie (Riffel) Shrock and Karen (Riffel) Marshall of Spokane, Washington; one son, William Fredrich Riffel of Spangle, Washington; sisters, Emma Johnson of Ellendale, North Dakota, Ruth March of Macon, Missouri, Shelly Kuninobu of Escondido, California, Viola Williams of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Lydia Spies of Yuba City, California, Helen Hartley of Windsor, California; 13 grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; other relatives and friends.

She is resting in the Spokane Greenwood Cemetery.