Edgar E. "Ed" Riffel, 90, of Herington, died Tuesday, May 2, 2017, at the Herington Municipal Hospital. He was born July 16, 1926, at Lost Springs, the son of Otto and Ida E. (Strauss) Riffel. Service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Herington, KS, with Pastor Mark Lovette officiating. Military committal will follow at the Lewis Cemetery, Ramona. The family will receive friends 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday evening, at the Zeiner Funeral Home-Herington Chapel. Mr. Riffel was a Pressman at the Salina Journal (1949-1954), and then later for the Kansas City Star (1954-1976), when he retired. He was a member of the Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Herington; member of the Clarey R. McClaren, American Legion Post #12; and life member of the D.A.V. He attended grade school, and high school in Ramona, with the class of 1944; he was drafted during his senior year because of World War II, when he went to serve in the U.S. Navy. (He later received an Honorary Diploma because of serving in WWII). He married Elsie Brouhard on Sept. 26, 1948, in Hope; she survives of the home. He is also survived by three sons, Rod Riffel (wife-Mary) of Rose Hill, Lance Riffel & Kevin Riffel (wife- Andy) of Wichita, daughter, Valerie Smith (husband-Phil) of Overland Park, 12 grandchildren, and 38 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by sister, Pearl Riffel Ulrich of Pigeon, MI; two step-brothers, Leonard Riffel of Ft. Worth, TX, and Perry Riffel of Valparaiso, IN; half sister, Madeleine Riffel Diekson of Allen, TX; and two step-sisters, Connie Riffel Lueker of Hosington, and Maureen Riffel Peterson of Burdick. He is preceded in death by his father, Otto Riffel, his mother, Eda Strass Riffel, two his step- mothers, Alma Hanschu Riffel and Erna Weber Riffel, sister, Melba Riffel Stiebe, and half- brother, Ivan Riffel. Memorials to the Our Redeemer Lutheran Church or the D.A.V. ; and may be sent to the Zeiner Funeral Home - Herington Chapel, 404 S Broadway, Herington, KS, 67449-3038. To leave a special message for the family online, please visit www.zeinerfuneralhomes.com

Published in Kansas City Star on May 5, 2017