Hugh Rieke (1915-1948)

ca. 1933

Hugh Rieke, son of Herbert Rieke, Lowell, who enlisted in the Seabees two weeks ago, is now stationed at Williamsburg, Va. His wife and little daughter will live in Lowell.

Writing his wife, Hugh Rieke, S.F. 2/c Seabee, says he ran across Dick Randolph, H.A. 2/c, "somewhere in the Southwest Pacific." "No need to say we had a good visit, talking about the old home town." Hugh said that Jap snipers sneak into their camp often, when they are away on duty, and [he] has missed several articles from his belongings due to these sneaking visits by the Japs.

Word from the Great Lakes Monday contained the information that three local men, Loyal Alyea, Myron Allison and Dorsey Ruley, have been discharged. Hugh Rieke, with the Sea Bees, also discharged, arrived home last week. All four of these boys have seen much overseas service.

Hugh Rieke, 33, met instant death early last Friday night when his car ran into a house trailer on road 41, just south of the curve near the John Schneider farm. Tire marks on the pavement, as reported by the state police, showed the Rieke car skidded on the pavement and crashed against a house trailer, traveling south on 41, being pulled by Edward Hall, of Highland, and accompanied by Eugene Black, Lowell resident. Neither Hall nor Black were injured. Mr. Rieke, who owned the Lowell Engineering Co., was returning home from Sumava Resorts where he was doing some excavation work, and it is supposed that he lost comtrol of his car on the wet pavement, it having been raining most of the day. The remains were brought to the Weaver funeral home Monday afternoon. The Legion, of which he was a member, conducted the services at the grave, interment being made in Lowell cemetery. He is survived by his wife; three children; his father, Herbert Rieke; one brother; and three sisters.