Thursday, October 1, 2026
There will never be another Joe.
Joseph John Riehle was born on July 26, 1979, in Cedar Falls, Iowa, to Ruth and Chuck Riehle. Over the course of his childhood, he established himself as an independent, singularly creative, and empathetic human being. In one year, he went from 5’4” to 6’4”, growing into his giant hands and similar heart. He graduated from NU High in 1997 and then from UNI with a degree in communication, at which he was an expert.
Joe was the heartbeat of many creative happenings in Cedar Falls during his teens and early 20s, performing in local bands, acting in films, and becoming a prolific poet; he was also the leader of the all-inclusive, a barefoot pied piper. Joe gave you a nickname and you were part of his pack forever. He made everyone feel like the most important person on earth, and that if you came together and led with imagination, everything would be ok. He was the perennial champion of the Ragman Wrestling Federation, founder of Ragman Records, and played & worked at Jane’s House for many years, his home away from home.
He left Cedar Falls in the mid-2000s for a short stint in Tennessee with Jenn T prior to resettling in the Pacific Northwest for the remainder of his life. In Seattle he helped raise his nephew Jonah, creating numerous worlds for them to live in and characters to play. He then moved to Olympia, where he met Nellie and her son Raven. He and Nellie married on roller skates in 2009 and gave birth to Wren in 2010. Joe, Nellie, and Ruth ran Color My World Child Care for a decade, teaching joy, compassion, and dancing to dozens of small children and their families while running a Puzzle Dojo.
He analyzed numerous board games in a highly informative and delightful way as Hello Gregor, frequently wrote songs about daily household happenings, home schooled Wren about history, and bicycled to Yelm for a convergence. He ultimately assumed the role of Volunteer Coordinator at the Thurston County Food Bank, which he called his dream job, as he was able to work with people he adored, write a hilarious weekly newsletter, provide nourishment to people, and meet Emily, who became his fiancée.
Joe was passionate about music, Wren (his sausage brother), walking for miles, learning new things, the woods, Too Like the Lightning, the beauty in every child, written correspondence, badminton, free little libraries, cold coffee, invented rituals and competitions, and finding the silly, quirky side of all situations. His brain and heart contained many universes, which he shared readily and in unexpected ways. If someone around him was hurting, Joe would steadfastly apply himself to caring for them until they felt better. If a loved one was lost, he was lost with them.
Our dear Joe passed away at the end of December 2025 at his home in Olympia. He is survived by his parents, Wren, a room full of musical instruments, 400+ board games, stories he had yet to write, and countless family and friends, who each had their own special Joe. His loss leaves an unfillable hole in our lives.
This memorial website tells more about Joe and his life — and includes details of memorial events on the weekend of July 25-26, 2026.
