Charles Reichel

 I have just learned that our friend Charles Reichel died of a heart attack yesterday. I don't know many details yet, but I'm sure many of my friends family members remember Charles and Sharon from our Independence Day barbecues. Their daughter Carlyn is one of Brannon's dear friends since 4th grade.

Cara and Carsten were briefly my students at Alto Park and Cara with her husband Peter are the leaders of Prospect Theatre Company, wonderful playwrights, and my Facebook friends. Please keep this wonderful family in your thoughts and prayers.

Comment:

Matthew Smart

I attended church with the Reichel's for many years at Holy Trinity Lutheran. He influenced me as a teenager with his joy for life and commitment to things eternal. That breaks my heart to hear, but I know he had a strong faith in Christ. Thanks for letting us know.

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Here is the obituary from the funeral home's website:

The Rev. Dr. Charles E. Reichel, 66, of Mt. Alto Rd., Rome, GA, passed away Monday morning, April 5, 2010, at a Rome hospital.

Dr. Reichel was born in Shawano, WI, on Oct. 16, 1943, the son of the late Edward Charles Reichel and Eleanor Koenig Reichel. He received his B. A. Degree from Concordia Sr. College and his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Concordia Seminary. He also received a Master’s Degree from St. Louis University and his PhD from the University of Mississippi in education/psychology-counseling. He was active in campus ministry and taught religion and philosophy at the University of Mississippi. He served many churches including Peace Lutheran in Oxford, MS, Zion Lutheran Church in Holly Springs, MS, and for 13 years while in Rome served churches in Gadsden, AL, Scottsboro, AL, Douglasville and Dunwoody. He was director of career development at Shorter College from 1984-91, and was teacher and consultant in the teaching program at Floyd Medical Center from 1985-90. He also taught S.A.T. classes and served as the executive director of the National Creative Society at the time of his death. He was a member of Phi Kappa Delta and Phi Kappa Phi Fraternities.

Dr. Reichel was active with the evening food pantry at Garden Lakes Baptist Church, was an avid reader, lifelong learner, supporter of the arts and, at one time, a certified bowling instructor.

Survivors include his wife, Sharon Werfelmann Reichel, to whom he was married June 14, 1970; one son Carsten Reichel, and his wife, Sarah Zinn, Silver Spring, MD; two daughters, Cara Reichel, and her husband, Peter Mills, New York, NY, and Carlyn Reichel, Washington, D.C.; and one brother, Daniel Reichel, and his wife, Sue, Tucson, AZ.

Funeral services will be held Friday, April 9, at 1 p.m. at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Rome, GA, with the Rev. Jack Karch, the Rev. John Diefenthaler and Chaplain Tom Benedum (ret. Capt.), U.S. Navy, officiating.

The family will receive friends at Daniel’s Funeral Home on Thursday, April 8, from 4 until 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Lutheran World Relief, P. O. Box 17061, Baltimore, MD 21298-9832, the Prospect Theater Co., 520 8th Ave., Suite 307, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10018 or the charity of your choice.