Jay S. Riehl

New Springfield - Jay S. Riehl, 76, peacefully passed away on Thursday, April 21, 2016, at St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center.

Jay was born December 11, 1939, in Boardman, a son of the late Elmer and Mary Elizabeth Derringer Riehl and graduated from Boardman High School.

He grew up on his family's dairy farm and Jay proudly showed dairy cows in 4-H and at other competitions. He loved all animals, especially horses. Jay owned and trained numerous horses, but he had a special place in his heart for draft horses. Many knew him as Lazy J. He had a team of Belgians that drove the covered wagon Jay restored. He gave many horse drawn rides in the area for weddings, parades, Western-style parties, and sleigh rides as well as many events at Boardman Park such as the Maple Syrup Festival. Jay's talents allowed him to hold various jobs throughout the years. He was a machinist at Metal Carbide and a lumber worker at Baird Brothers Sawmill. However, the job he enjoyed and reminisced about the most was his time as a milkman at Isaly's. He had many hobbies, but his fondest was blacksmithing. Jay spent long hours on the forge recreating many types of unique period pieces. He made a portable forge and demonstrated his blacksmith skills at many community events such as the Arms Museum at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society. Everyone enjoyed Jay's playful humor and many encouraged his rascally behavior. He was well known for his light-hearted pranks such as late night prank phone calls and knotting up shoes laces.

Preceding Jay in death were his parents, Elmer and Mary Elizabeth; his aunt, Ruth Derringer, his brother, Joe (Lou) Byler; and two brothers-in-law, Herbert "Scotty" Scott and William Rufus McDorman.

He is survived by his wife, Christine (Haus) Riehl and three stepdaughters. He thanked Christine many times for giving him the family he always wanted. He helped raise the girls and gave each one a special nickname, Stephanie "Princess" (Christopher) Lannoye, Angela "Sunny One" Gallegos and Melissa "Tiger" Gallegos; and his granddaughter, Charlotte "Skizzelfritz" Lannoye. He was the youngest of five siblings, Hazel (Herbert) Scott, J. Gordon (Jane Ann) Riehl, and Carolyn (Don) Silverthrone. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews who were very close to his heart.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 30, 2016 at the Warrick-Kummer-Rettig Funeral Home, Columbiana with Mr. William Henry officiating. Friends will be received from 10:30-11:00 am Saturday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Jay Riehl Memorial Fund. Monies will be allocated between the Paradise Church Youth Program and the Animal Charity Humane Society.

Family and friends may view this obituary and send condolences at www.familycareservices.com