Charles "Chuck" Edward Riedel

Chuck leaves behind his wife of 48 years, Michele Preusser Riedel of Midlothian; daughter Krista Riedel Cabaniss (Carl) of Richmond; and son Michael Charles Riedel, of Bandon, Oregon. He also leaves behind sisters Anny Ricalde (Rick) of Las Vegas; Beth Williams (Jim) of Boca Raton; Donna Smith (Loren) of San Diego; Kerry Florez of Surprise, AZ; Jody Fulkerson (Bob), of Tucson; and Mary Jane Dunlavey (Eric) of San Diego, as well as brothers Richard Riedel, of Surprise, AZ; Ned Riedel (Margaret) of Boulder, Colorado; and Michele's sister Kelly Eddy (Greg) of Mt Pleasant, SC, who called Chuck her brother, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews and McKillip cousins.

Chuck was born in Chicago to Richard Edward Riedel, an NBC cameraman, and homemaker Mary Jane McKillip Riedel. Chuck was the third oldest and first boy of their nine children. He had fond memories of the old Chicago neighborhood, surrounded by family, and playing street games with his cousins and neighborhood friends. He remembers his oldest sisters Anny and Beth always including him in their childhood antics, play-acting Broadway musicals and building go-carts from scratch. And as the Riedel family grew, Chuck enjoyed playing with each new sibling and establishing a relationship despite the age gaps.

When Chuck was 11, the family moved to New City, New York, where his father started his own company Teletape Productions. Chuck recalled with pride his father's company producing such classics as "Sesame Street" and "Barbara Streisand in Central Park." In New York, Chuck played Little League baseball, excelling as a catcher. He credits his dad, an avid baseball fan, with throwing the baseball with him every night no matter how tired his dad was after work. Chuck graduated from Clarkstown High School, in New City, where he was voted Class Clown.

After high school, Chuck joined the Marine Corps, going through boot camp at Parris Island and training at Camp Lejeune, and was stationed at the Naval Weapons Station in Yorktown, VA. As he was contemplating his future after the military, Chuck happened to hear a Marine Corps barber talking about a great small school called Emory and Henry College. Chuck applied, got accepted and in Sept. 1971 began working on a degree in political science there.

It was there he met his future wife, Michele Preusser, in math class the first semester. It wasn't until fall of their senior year, however, that Chuck and Michele began dating. She was drawn to his sense of humor and good character; and he, to her love of laughter and independent spirit. They married at Christmastime in 1977 in Culpeper, VA, where Michele's maternal grandmother had long resided.

In 1980 Chuck began a successful 30-year career with 3M Company, selling occupational and safety products to industry. The couple moved to the Philadelphia area for Chuck's first 3M role, and spent most of the 1980s there. Their twins, Krista and Michael, were born there, and Chuck would hold each baby like a football in the crook of his arms. They moved back to the Richmond, Virginia area in 1988.

During Chuck's 3M career he received numerous achievement awards, including National Sales Representative of the Year (the same year his twins were born), and a national award for creative entrepreneurship in his dealings with distributors. But perhaps the most meaningful honor for Chuck was when 3M selected him to travel to New York City in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attack. There, he and his colleagues trained firefighters and search and rescue workers in the safe use of respiratory equipment to protect them from toxic chemicals.

Sadly, it was exposure to toxic chemicals at Camp Lejeune during his Marine Corps service that contributed to Chuck's Parkinson’s diagnosis. Even so, Chuck was proud of his military service, and would immediately correct someone if they referred to him as an "ex-Marine," saying instead, "There are no ex-Marines, only former Marines." Semper Fi!

In a word, Chuck was hilarious. He was known for his extraordinary ability to tell a good joke, keeping 3M colleagues, family, neighbors and friends laughing at one joke after the other. He credits his mother, who had Irish ancestry, with tutoring him on the fine art of joke telling.

Chuck was also an amazing family man, and a supportive and helpful husband. He adored his son and daughter, spending his leisure time watching kid movies, building tent forts in the family room, and playing children's games with them. He coached soccer when they were just starting out and never missed one of their games, pacing the sidelines with his cigar. Chuck was also an avid runner, known as that guy who runs around the neighborhood. He participated in several half-marathons in the Richmond area. He lamented having to give up running after Parkinson's made it difficult. Chuck was also a community volunteer for Meals on Wheels and for Paws for Purple Hearts, an organization that trains service dogs for veterans with disabilities. It was through his volunteer work at Paws, that he and Michele adopted their beloved yellow lab Aylene, who flunked out of “service-dog school" because she barks when the doorbell rings.

Chuck loved the Chicago Bears and Chicago White Sox, because his father did. It gave him great joy that the Chicago Bears had a winning season in 2025 and went to the playoffs. When the 1985 Bears team won the Super Bowl, Chuck taught his toddler twins all the words and dance moves to the infamous Super Bowl Shuffle.

There will be a celebration of life service for Chuck at 12 noon on Friday, February 27 at St Matthias Episcopal Church, 11300 Huguenot Road, with Reverend Gregory Bezilla officiating. Flowers are welcome, but the family asks that you make a memorial donation in Chuck's name to the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's research at michaeljfox.org/donate.