David Rieke

David Rieke passed away peacefully on February 28, 2026, following a health event while riding his bicycle near his home in Ocoee, Florida. Born in Columbus, Ohio, to Max and Elsie Rieke, David grew up in central Ohio and graduated from Worthington High School in 1967. David met his wife of 52 years, Sandra Savage, at the University of Kentucky and has remained a lifelong fan of UK Wildcat Basketball. As an Agricultural Engineer, David designed fascinating machinery such as manure spreaders, dump trucks, and motorcoach buses while maintaining a large and varied garden at home. He loved the outdoors and, with his family, visited hundreds of national, state, and local parks in addition to riding bicycles for thousands of miles in the countryside. David is survived by his wife, Sandra, and their three children: Patricia, Deanna, and Christopher. He lived a full life of fellowship with his family and friends and dedicated his life to service through the church, Christian outreach, and the Boy Scouts at the local and district levels. A remembrance celebration will be held for him on Saturday, March 14th, at 11:00 AM at the First United Methodist Church in Winter Garden, Florida.