Jeffrey Trent RIEKENA

RIEKENA, MENTZER, BEEMAN, SCHULDT, SEARS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:41

November 21, 1956 ---- May 21, 2022

Jeffrey Trent Riekena, son of Ronald Duane Riekena and Sally Jo (Mentzer) Riekena was born November 21st, 1956, in Gladbrook, IA and suddenly passed from this life, Saturday, May 21st, 2022 at Clarke County Hospital in Osceola, IA at 65 years of age.

Jeff’s family moved from Gladbrook to Kanawha, IA and eventually settled in Osceola when he was 15 years old. He graduated from Clarke Community High School with the class of 1975. He lived the rest of his lifetime in Osceola. He was friends to many in the community and was known as the Rock & Roll janitor having worked in the Clarke County school system for over 40 years.

Jeff married Paula (Beeman) Schuldt at the Christian Church in Osceola, IA on March 7, 1975. He was a loving father to his three sons, Todd, Chad and Shaun and a loving grandfather to his three grandchildren, Levin, Annella and Nova Belle.

Jeff had an undeniable passion and talent for music, which he inherited from his family growing up. His mother Sally recalls Jeff strumming the guitar strings on a picture in the Sears catalog when he was around 4 years old. He was an amazing guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Over the years he played in a multitude of bands and touched many lives with his music.

Jeff began playing in bands before he graduated high school including, Justice and Wood River. His most notable band was Zef, formed in 1974 with longtime friend George Norris and Jim Wuthrich. Zef’s lineup later consisted of Jeff Riekena, George Norris, Gregg Norris, Gary Seddon and Dave McGahuey. Zef played numerous shows throughout the years and were well-known at venues including Knotty Pine, Jaybird and Twighlight Zone in Creston, The Oasis in Moravia, VicArt’s and The Wild Side in Ottumwa. Zef released a studio album “When Heaven Shakes” in 1989. Zef also opened for bands such as Blue Oyster Cult, Johnny Van Zant and Missouri.

In later years, Jeff joined several bands in the Osceola area, including 3rd Floor, Carla Deemer & the Blue Rose Band, Az Iz, Einstein’s Junkyard, Liquid Sunshine, Wrap Around Jacket, Rick Burke and Chasing Castles with Rhonda Mickelson. In 2017, he joined Sean Brobst, George Norris and Daniel Turner to form the band B.R.N.T. He truly cherished writing, recording and sharing the stage with his friends and bandmates in his hometown and all over Iowa throughout his musical career.

Jeff was a loving man who had a great sense of humor that always lightened a room and created so many lasting friendships and close family ties from his caring, open personality. He was a lover of music, Sci Fi movies, fantasy novels and British comedy. He was a devoted Cubs and Packers fan and he enjoyed making his way to Wrigley Field in 2004. Jeff loved his family most of all. He loved traveling up to Des Moines to watch his grandkids’ sporting and music events, taking his granddaughter for walks in her stroller, attending his sons’ concerts, or just hanging out and enjoying time with his family and kids. He eventually retired in 2015 to stay home and help care for his granddaughter, Nova Belle.

Jeff was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Nova Belle and his father Ron Riekena. Jeff leaves to cherish his memory; three sons, Todd (Debbie Sears) Riekena of Grimes, IA, son Chad Riekena of Huntington Beach, CA, son Shaun (Katie) Riekena of Des Moines, IA, grandchildren, Levin and Annella Riekena, mother Sally Riekena of Osceola, IA, brother, Mark (Lucy) Riekena of Taipei, TW, brother, Scott Riekena of McKinney, TX as well as many other relatives and so many friends. Jeff was the sweetest soul and will be greatly missed.

https://www.kalefuneralhome.com/obituaries/Jeff-Riekena?obId=24935083