Robert “Bob” Riek passed away on Thursday, August 18, 2016. He was born on February 25, 1925 in Abilene, Texas to Jessie Lou Peel Riek and Robert Wesley Riek. After graduation from Lubbock High School in 1943 at age 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served in the 517th Parachute Combat Team “ Battlin’ Buzzards “ of the 82nd Airborne where he saw service and combat in Italy, Southern France, the Ardennes “Bulge” and Germany. Before his 20th birthday, he was a decorated combat veteran receiving the Bronze Star and other decorations and the rank of Sergeant.
After his service, he returned to Lubbock and worked as a fireman dispatcher and married Dolores Johnson. He received a degree in accounting from Texas Tech University. Bob and Dolores had 4 children while living in Lubbock and he later moved his family to Midland, Texas where he began a lifelong career in oil and gas management. Bob was a longtime member of and active in the First Baptist Church in Midland, a student of the Bible and a man of God.
He was an excellent golfer and served as a member and President of Ranchland Hills Country Club and was a member of Midland Country Club. He loved the mountains of New Mexico and Colorado, fishing, traveling to Las Vegas and engaging his family in everything from bowling to card games. He followed Texas Tech and its sports. Bob was an example of a successful, self-made, self-supporting person who worked his way through life and shared his faith, love of family, a wonderful sense of humor, smile, politics, and what he had with others.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother George Clifton Riek; sisters, Ina Mae Armstrong, Josephine Ballew and Melba Bowden and his wife Dolores as well as grandsons Trent Brown, Christopher and Daniel Riek.
He is survived by his sister Irene Farr and second wife Ruth Anne of Midland. He is also survived by; his children, Carol Riek Brown and husband Robert of New Braunfels, Texas; Linda Riek Miller and husband Bill of Lubbock, Texas; Mike Riek and his wife Natalia of Denton, Texas and Les Riek of Midland, Texas as well as grandchildren Les Brown, Jenny Burrow, Emily Shipley, Jared Miller, Kristen Haynes, Sarah Corder, Hannah Riek, and Vlad Riek and 9 great grandchildren.
Services will be held at the First Baptist Church in Midland, Texas on Saturday, August 20, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.
The family wishes to thank the Luman Lusk Facility of Big Spring and Compass Hospice of Big Spring and their staff for their care and support of Bob.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations be made to Compass Hospice of Big Spring at 602 South Main, Big Spring, TX 79720 or the Alzheimer’s Association of America (alz.org).
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