Dr. Paul Rieger
Dr. Paul Rieger at the age of 99 passed away November 7, 2017. Paul was the son of Earnest and Cecilia (Shaw) Rieger. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, one of eight children. Paul’s family moved to Garden City Long Island where he graduated from Garden City High School and where he met the love of his life Jeanne Maguire. Paul attended Union College on a Lacrosse scholarship planning to get a degree to teach physical education. During his second year he was injured on the Lacrosse field. Following a recommendation from a fellow student he was treated by an Osteopathic doctor and as he liked to tell the story, crawled up the stairs to the appointment and walked out without pain. He was so impressed that he left Union College to prepare himself for medical school. He applied and was accepted by Kirksville School of Osteopathy in
Kirksville, Missouri. Jeanne and Paul were married in August of 1941. The couple returned to Kirksville to begin married life. Paul graduated in February 1943. He was licensed to practice in Vermont, West Virginia, Florida and Maine. When searching for the ideal location to set up a practice and start a family, Paul became aware that due to the war, Portland, Maine was in great need of doctors. The couple obtained just enough gas ration stamps to drive to Portland. They found a home on the South Portland side of the million dollar bridge and Paul set up his medical practice in Knightsville.
Dr. Rieger became a member of the board of the Osteopathic Hospital of Maine. He helped the Osteopathic hospital to become a major medical resource for the greater Portland area. Dr. Rieger was of the generation of general practitioners who made house calls in the middle of the night and he had a practice in his home. He helped an impressive number of babies in Greater Portland come into the world in addition to caring for all his other patients.
Paul and Jeanne were members of Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth for nearly seven decades. Beginning in 1961 Paul became instrumental in the design and building of Purpoodock’s back nine, which opened in 1965. It has become recognized as a challenging and beautiful course.
His wife Jeanne predeceased Paul. He is survived by, his son Larry of South Portland, daughter Rictoria (Priscilla) and her husband Roger Himalstein of Fort Myers, Florida and Patricia and her husband Xavier Toubes Vilariño of Oak Park, Illinois. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Tony and Stacy Rieger, Sean and Jessica Himalstein and Pablo Toubes Rieger.
Paul was a mischievous, unique character, a complex and extraordinary husband, father, friend and doctor. He will be missed by many.
There will be a celebration of Paul’s life in late May 2018. A notice will be placed in this paper.
Online condolences may be expressed below.
| ||||
