Rev. R. Russell Riethmiller

Rev. R. Russell Riethmiller, 91, an active resident of the Passavant Retirement Community in Zelienople, passed away Monday.

Born on Jan. 3, 1924, in Lackawannock Township, he was the son of the late A.E. and Elizabeth George Riethmiller.

Rev. Riethmiller was a graduate of Butler High School and Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary. He was ordained on Feb. 29, 1948, at the First English Lutheran Church in Butler. Rev. Riethmiller served parishes in Erie County, Upper St. Clair, Pittsburgh, Latrobe, and Clarksburg, W.Va., until his retirement in 1989.

He leaves behind to cherish his memory, his son, the Rev. Allen Riethmiller and his wife, Karen, of West Newton; his brother, Frank Riethmiller of Mercer; his sister, Lois Fogal and her husband, Ralph, of Zelienople, and his two grandsons, David and Micheal Riethmiller.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce Weibley Riethmiller, who passed away on May 4, 2005, and his brother, Blair Riethmiller.

Riethmiller— The Riethmiller family will welcome friends of the Rev. R. Russell Riethmiller, who passed away Monday, Feb. 2, 2015, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Boylan Funeral Home, 324 E. Grandview Ave., Zelienople.Additional visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral ceremony at 11 a.m. Friday at the Seaman Memorial Chapel at Passavant Retirement Community, 105 Burgess Drive, Zelienople, with Bishop Ralph Duncan officiating and the Rev. Sarah Lee-Faulkner co-officiating. Rev. Riethmiller will be laid to rest in the Unity Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Lackawannock Township.If desired, memorial contributions may be made in his honor in support of the Lutheran Senior Life Foundation, 105 Burgess Drive, Zelienople, PA 16063.Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the Riethmiller family at www.boylanfuneralhome.com.