Kenneth Ivan Reigel1,2

Family Chart
ID# 246, (1913 - 1990)
FatherFrank William Reigel1,3,2 (23 Apr 1881 - 29 Jul 1952)
MotherEmma Sophia Gapsch1,2,4 (24 Apr 1891 - 31 Oct 1917)

Key Events:

Birth: 4 Aug 1913, La Center, Clark Co., Washington5,6,7,8
Marriage: 3 Jun 1937, Stevenson, Skamania Co., Washington, Ruth Ledora Riggs (28 Oct 1917 - 23 Oct 2010)9,10
Death: 31 Dec 1990, Longview, Cowlitz Co., Washington11,12
Burial: 4 Jan 1991, Green Mountain Cemetery, Rainier, Columbia Co., Oregon13,14,15
ChartsDescendants of Edward and Sophie Gapsch
Descendants of Jacob K. and Christiana Ohl Riegel
AncestryThe Reigel Family
The Gapsch Family

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Kenneth Ivan Reigel was born on 4 Aug 1913 in La Center, Clark Co., Washington.5,6,7,8
     His mother died on 31 Oct 1917, when Kenneth was 4 years old.16,17
     He appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of La Center, Washington in the household of his father, Frank William Reigel, and stepmother, Vera Mattie Baird.3 He appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of La Center, Washington in the household of his father and stepmother.18
     Kenneth attended Washington State College, Pullman, Washington, for two years, with his brother Ernest.19,20,21
     He applied for a Social Security Number 27 Nov 1936, while living at Woodland, Washington, where he was employed by Northwestern Electric Company at 614 Main, Vancouver, Washington.2 He was initially a laborer there, and a groundsman by 1940.22,23
     Kenneth married Ruth Ledora Riggs, daughter of David Levi Riggs and Dora Ethel Bostwick, on 3 Jun 1937 in Stevenson, Skamania Co., Washington, Rev. E. Williams, a Congregational minister, officiating.9,10
     Kenneth and Ruth appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Salmon Creek, Clark Co., Washington, on Pacific Rd., enumerated 23 Apr 1940, reporting that they owned a farm valued at $2,500, and had each lived in Portland, Oregon, in 1935. Their son Richard was listed as living with them.24
     Kenneth registered for the draft for World War II on 16 Oct 1940, while living at Ridgefield, Washington, reporting he was employed by North Western Electric, in Vancouver.25
     Kenneth and Ruth moved to the Oregon coast, near Walport, about 1944.26 He operated a service station and automobile repair shop in Yachats while they lived there.27,28
     Kenneth and Ruth returned to Washington about 1947.29
     Kenneth and Ruth moved to Chico, California, by 1948, where Kenneth joined with his brother Vernon farming as partners.30,31
     After about a year Kenneth and Ruth returned to Washington. They appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of Clark Co., Washington, enumerated 6 Apr 1950, reporting they lived on a farm. Their two children were listed as living with them.32
     He worked as head mechanic for a large-scale potato farm on an island in the Columbia River in Washington. He reporting in the 1950 census he had worked 40 hours the prior week.33,32
Kenneth and brother Vernon at Reigel Farm Shop
photo by Carmen Reigel

     By 1958 Kenneth and Ruth returned to California. They bought 80 acres two miles north of Nord, where they built a home.34,35 While there he was foreman and head mechanic for the farm operated by his brother Vernon. The farm had over 1,000 acres for row crops, including sugar beets, corn, beans, and tomatoes, additional acreage in hay, and cattle on over 1,000 acres of grazing land.36
     Kenneth was a skilled mechanic, able to repair most any kind of machinery. He could build equipment from steel and wood, and insisted on high quality standards. He was always ready to teach his sons and nephews and instilled in them the confidence that they could solve any mechanical problem.37
     Kenneth and Ruth returned to Washington, where on 2 Apr 1962 they bought a 40-acre farm near Ridgefield.38
     They sold the farm near Ridgefield 13 Mar 1978, and moved to Rainier, Oregon.39,40 There they purchased a 19-acre farm at 76828 Amundson Rd., on river-bottom land near the Columbia River.41 Kenneth was a heating and sheet metal contractor Longview, Washington, installing and servicing heating systems in Rainier and across the Columbia River in Longview, Washington, for a number of years.42,28
     Kenneth and Ruth developed a nursery on the Rainier property, calling it the West Rainier Nursery. They raised shrubs for sales at wholesale and planed and installed landscaping.43,44,45
     Kenneth died on 31 Dec 1990 in Longview, Cowlitz Co., Washington, at age 77.11,12 He was buried on 4 Jan 1991 in Green Mountain Cemetery, Rainier, Columbia Co., Oregon.13,14,15

Children:
     Children with Ruth Ledora Riggs

The other children of Kenneth and Ruth are still living.
  • Richard Gordon Reigel24,46,47 (30 Aug 1939 - 10 Jan 2023)
  • Mary Ethel Reigel48,47,49 (12 Feb 1954 - 19 Sep 1979)

Citations

  1. [S173] Kenneth Riegel, Certificate of Birth.
  2. [S2854] Kenneth Ivon Reigel, Application for Account.
  3. [S133] F. W. Reigel household, 1920 U.S. Census, Clark Co., Washington.
  4. [S12489] Marriage Certificates, Skamania Co., Washington, May-Aug 1937, Kenneth Reigel and Ruth L. Reggs.
  5. [S173] Kenneth Riegel, Certificate of Birth, shows place as Clarke Co., near Woodland (Cowlitz Co.).
  6. [S133] F. W. Reigel household, 1920 U.S. Census, Clark Co., Washington, shows age 6 and state.
  7. [S2854] Kenneth Ivon Reigel, Application for Account, shows date, age 23, town, and state.
  8. [S12613] Kenneth Ivan Reigel, WWII Draft Registration Cards for Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947, shows date, town, and state.
  9. [S813] Kenneth Reigel and Ruth L. Riggs, Marriage Record, Certificate of Marriage, shows date, city, county, and officiant.
  10. [S101] Interview, Ruth Riggs Reigel, gave date, town, and state.
  11. [S12612] Kenneth Reigel, Certificate of Death, shows date, city, county, and state.
  12. [S12617] Kenneth Reigel obituary, The Daily News, shows date and hospital.
  13. [S12612] Kenneth Reigel, Certificate of Death, shows date, cemetery, city, state.
  14. [S12617] Kenneth Reigel obituary, The Daily News, shows services Friday and cemetery.
  15. [S500] Findagrave.com, online, memorial # 51535771, Kenneth Reigel, includes tombstone photo.
  16. [S169] Emma S. Reigel, Certificate of Death.
  17. [S349] Erickson, "Family History - Maria Lovisa Henriksdotter", shows date.
  18. [S486] Frank W. Reigel household, 1930 U.S. Census, Clark Co., Washington.
  19. [S1465] Interview, Ella Reigel, 23 Jul 2000.
  20. [S4666] Kenneth I. Reigel household, 1940 U.S. Census, Clark Co., Washington, shows Kenneth completed two years of college.
  21. [S4669] Frank E. Martz household, 1940 U.S. Census, Whitman Co., Washington, shows Ernest completed two years of college.
  22. [S12489] Marriage Certificates, Skamania Co., Washington, May-Aug 1937, Kenneth Reigel and Ruth L. Reggs, shows occupation as laborer.
  23. [S4666] Kenneth I. Reigel household, 1940 U.S. Census, Clark Co., Washington, shows occupation as groundman, industry as power company.
  24. [S4666] Kenneth I. Reigel household, 1940 U.S. Census, Clark Co., Washington.
  25. [S12613] Kenneth Ivan Reigel, WWII Draft Registration Cards for Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947.
  26. [S12626] Jeanette Gulickson, e-mail to author, 12 Sep 2023, recalling her brother Richard started school in Walport.
  27. [S12626] Jeanette Gulickson, e-mail to author, 12 Sep 2023, recalling her mother walking them to her father's service station in Yachats.
  28. [S110] Personal knowledge of author, from stories told him by his Uncle Kenneth.
  29. [S12626] Jeanette Gulickson, e-mail to author, 12 Sep 2023, recalling moving to Salmon Creek and starting school there.
  30. [S3460] Polk's Chico and Oroville (California) City Directory, 1948, pg 666.
  31. [S110] Personal knowledge of author, recalling Ken and Ruth living on the farm, and stories told by his father and uncle.
  32. [S12614] Kenneth I. Reigel household, 1950 U.S. Census, Clark Co., Washington, shows occupation as machinist and industry as ranch.
  33. [S110] Personal knowledge of author, recalling visiting the potato farm with his Uncle Kenneth.
  34. [S3460] Polk's Chico and Oroville (California) City Directory, 1948, pg 417; 1960, pg 318.
  35. [S110] Personal knowledge of author, recalling visiting them there.
  36. [S110] Personal knowledge of author, recalling working with his Uncle Kenneth on the farm.
  37. [S110] Personal knowledge of author.
  38. [S12616] Deeds and Mortgages Clark Co., Washington, no. G331138, Lowell E. and Delores N. Kimsey to Kenneth and Ruth L. Reigel, 27 Apr 1962.
  39. [S12616] Deeds and Mortgages Clark Co., Washington, no. 7804040102, real estate contract, Kenneth and Ruth L. Reigel to Skpper D. and Steven D. Shipp, shows sale date, contract payments to be made to sellers in Rainier; and no. 8408150113, deed Kenneth and Ruth L. Reigel to Skipper D. and Patti J. Shipp and Steven D. and Debra F. Shipp, 15 Aug 1984.
  40. [S12617] Kenneth Reigel obituary, The Daily News, shows moved to Rainier in 1970.
  41. [S110] Personal knowledge of author, recalling visiting the property.
  42. [S12617] Kenneth Reigel obituary, The Daily News, shows he worked as repaired furnaces in Longview and Rainier for many years.
  43. [S12612] Kenneth Reigel, Certificate of Death, shows occupation as nurseryman and industry as wholesale nursery.
  44. [S12617] Kenneth Reigel obituary, The Daily News, shows he worked as nurseryman for 30 year, name of nursery.
  45. [S110] Personal knowledge of author, recalling seeing the shrubs growing on their property and his aunt and uncle describing their business during a visit with them.
  46. [S12614] Kenneth I. Reigel household, 1950 U.S. Census, Clark Co., Washington.
  47. [S101] Interview, Ruth Riggs Reigel.
  48. [S19] Birth Announcement.
  49. [S12617] Kenneth Reigel obituary, The Daily News.