Roy Wilford Riegle

Roy Wilford Riegle (April 27, 1896 – February 2, 1988), commonly known as Wilford Riegle, was an American attorney, politician and Member of the Kansas House of Representatives.

Colonel R. Wilford Riegle
52nd Triennial Conclave, Chicago, IL[1]
Member of the Kansas Senate from the 15th district
In office January 12, 1953 – January 9, 1961
Preceded by	Bob George
Succeeded by	Wade Alexander Myers
Member of the Kansas Senate from the 22nd district
In office January 14, 1941 – 1943
Preceded by	William Carlisle Harris
Succeeded by	Selleck Warren
Member of the Kansas House of Representatives from the 45th district
In office January 9, 1933 – January 14, 1941
Preceded by	Edward Herbert Rees
Succeeded by	Felix Bruno Ross
Personal details
Born	(1896-04-27)April 27, 1896 Rice County, Kansas, U.S.
Died	February 2, 1988(1988-02-02) (aged 91) Lyon County, Kansas, U.S.
Resting place	Leavenworth National Cemetery
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Keith Maria Roberts
Children	Ardis Gene Riegle Roy Wilford Riegle Jr. Jo Anna Scherrer[2] Mary Keith Burns
Education	Washburn University (Bachelor of Arts, LL.B., Master of Arts) Kansas State Normal School
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Battles/wars	World War I

He was born in Lyons, KS on April 27, 1896. He began his career working as a Mortician's assistant in Jetmore, Kansas. After accumulating enough money to begin his path in higher education, he made the move eastward to the city of Emporia.

He met his future wife, Keith, while attending Kansas State Normal School during the 1910s. Before marriage, however, he was called to duty during World War I as part of the United States Army in Company L, 137th Infantry, 35th Division. His love of civic duty and military honor would later lead him to military prestige as a Colonel during World War II - serving in Alabama, Arkansas, Virginia, Alaska, and Korea under a special team championed by General Douglas MacArthur out of the Dai Ichi Building.

Aside from serving as the longest-practicing attorney in Lyons County, Wilford was a Republican member of both the Kansas House of Representatives and the Kansas Senate for multiple terms.

In 1957, he became President of the Kansas State Historical Society.

In 1973, he took office as the Grand Master of the Knights Templar (Freemasonry) both nationally and overseas.

By the end of his judicial career in 1986, he became the longest-serving attorney in the history of Lyon County and, quite possibly, the state of Kansas itself.

After a series of strokes and declining health, Colonel Riegle died on February 2, 1988.[3]

Riegle & Riegle Law (Palace Building)

Juneau, AK (World War II)

Jo Anna Riegle-Scherrer (Left) & Keith Maria Riegle (Right)