Lawrence (Larry) Chester Riel

Lawrence (Larry) Chester Riel 11/3/1960-2/04/2015 Larry Riel died February 4, 2015 from complications of open-heart surgery. Mr. Riel was born November 3, 1960 in Painesville, Ohio and grew up in the Lake Erie community of Madison. Ohio. He was a 1978 graduate of Riverside High School in Painesville, Ohio. Larry first attended college at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio and was an active member of the Iota Phi Theta fraternity. He graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1984 with a bachelor of science in Management Information Systems. Mr. Riel was employed for a number of years as a computer systems engineer/analyst for Electronic Data Systems based out of Dallas, Texas. Larry fell in love with Dallas and became a permanent resident in the early 1990s. Several other Dallas companies later employed him as a computer consultant. At the age of ten, Larry was diagnosed with diabetes and suffered such side effects as loss of vision in his right eye and kidney disease. In 2003 Larry gratefully received a kidney and pancreatic transplant at Baylor Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. Larry found the value in everything and every person. Mechanically inclined, he was the first to help a neighbor with anything from a broken computer to a flat tire. He was a member of his neighborhood watch and took an active role as a volunteer for local elections. Larry was loved and remembered fondly by his childhood friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Larry is survived by his mother, Elizabeth (Sue) Riel Schupska of Madison, Ohio, sister Virginia (Jennifer) Riel Flynn of Cincinnati, Ohio, sister Jane Riel Stange of Painesville, Ohio and brother William C. Riel (and wife Stacey) of Swoyersville, Pennsylvania. He is also survived by nieces Angela Newberry of Lafayette, Colorado, Corinne DiSalvo of Denver, Colorado, Jessica Stange of Painesville, Ohio, and Elizabeth (Beth) Stange of Painesville, Ohio and nephews Joseph DiSalvo and Michael DiSalvo, both of Cincinnati, Ohio. His father, William C. Riel, and stepfather Floyd (Butch) Schupska preceded Mr. Riel in death. Donations on Larry's behalf may be made to one of these organizations important to him: Camp Ho Mita Coda (Burton, Ohio), The National Kidney Foundation, or the Juvenile Diabetes Association. Services for Larry will be at The Behm Family Funeral Home, 26 River St., Madison Ohio, 44057, on Saturday June 13 at 11 am. Friends may call one hour prior, from 10-11am. Larry's final resting place is Madison Memorial Cemetery on Arcola Rd.