Jerris Lynn (Jerry) Riffel, 62, of Denton, Texas and former Russell resident died on September 7, 2011 near Winfield, Kansas due to a tragic airplane accident.

Jerry was born on November 6, 1948 in Russell, Kansas, the son of Jacob F. and Mabel (Brown) Riffel.  He grew up in the Russell area and graduated from Russell High School in 1966 and also graduated from Kansas State University in 1974.  He served his country in Vietnam and was a member of the U.S. Navy from 1968 – 1972.  He met, fell in love, and was united in marriage to Judith Elaine Morgan on January 24, 1970 in Hays, Kansas.  From this union Jerris and Judy were blessed with two sons Jonathan and Joshua.  He was a retired senior computer programmer analyst and teacher of programming languages for IBM.  Jerry’s passion was building and flying airplanes and loved anything and everything about them.  Most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his children and grandchild. 

Surviving family includes his wife Judy of their home in Robson Ranch Denton, Texas; sons Joshua Riffel of Denton, Texas and Jonathan Riffel of Aurora, Colorado with grandchild Jayda Rae Riffel. 

He was preceded in death by his Father and Mother.

A celebration of Jerry’s life will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Friday, September 16, 2011 at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary Chapel with Pastor Roger Dennis officiating.  Burial will follow at the Russell City Cemetery with military rites conducted by the Russell V.F.W. Post #6240.  The register book will be available from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Thursday, September 15, 2011 at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell.  A memorial service will be held in Texas at 3:00 p.m. on October 9, 2011 at the Robson Ranch Clubhouse in Denton, Texas.  Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Riffel’s Truths & Rules to Live By

• Life Is Not Fair
o Put on your ‘Big Boy Pants’ and deal with it. Whining only makes you look childish. Smile in the face of adversity – it confuses the opposition.

• Grow Up
o Make smart choices. Have a goal and a plan to achieve it. Act like an adult: Be Responsible, Be In Control of Yourself, and Earn Respect. Remember that actions have consequences.

• Most People Get What They Deserve
o You’re responsible for your success. Study and work hard and things will work out - don’t, and you’ll likely suffer. No one, absolutely No One, owes you anything.

• People Don’t Change
o Everyone thinks they’re right. Change only happens when staying the same is more painful than changing. Trying to convince people to change almost never works. Logic rarely wins over emotions.

• Be A Good Scout
o Be Prepared, Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.

• Be Comfortable With Yourself
o Not everyone will like you – but You Must Like You to be happy. Laugh whenever possible.

• Do The Right Thing
o It is often painful, but choosing Right over Easy will always be better. If it feels right – it probably is. Don’t confuse truthful with hurtful or courage with foolishness. Don’t judge others by your standards.

• Make Friends
o Life is lonely without friends that you can depend on and trust. You’ve got to be a friend to have one. Quality is more important than quantity.

• Deal With Mistakes
o Everyone makes mistakes. Admit them, apologize, fix them if possible, Learn from them and move on.

• Live Actively
o Activity is living. Sitting causes rust & death. Most regrets are for what you didn’t do. Acquire experiences rather than possessions. Find a way to enjoy your time.