Alphonse Joseph Hingel Riede, born April 10, 1930 in Toronto, Ontario, the only child of Katharine (nee Hingel) and Alphons Riede. Alphons died peacefully after a long illness in Mendocino Coast District Hospital. He was 79.
Mr. Riede was widowed and had no children. His two cousins, John Joseph Glaser of Cobourg Ontario and Felix Robert Gumbinger of Port Hope Ontario are his only living relatives.
His memorial service was held at Chapel by the Sea in Fort Bragg last Friday, October 30.
During World War II, while his father served in New Guinea, his mother shared accommodations with her sister, Anna Glaser, and her son, John. After the war, in 1946 when Mr. Riede was 16, the Riede family moved to California. Alphons' father, although a brilliant wood sculptor, opened the Dutch Garden Restaurant with Katie in Goleta to make ends meet. In 1949, Mr. Riede graduated from high school and went on to major in music composition and piano at Santa Barbara State College (now UC Santa Barbara).
In 1952 he was drafted into the US Army and was stationed in Europe during the Korean War. Sometime after his return home he took a trip to Finland to learn all he could about his favorite composer, Sibelius. Still later, he had a small apartment in Santa Barbara and worked there as a postman. By that time he had amassed a substantial LP collection of classical music and this collection was to grow throughout his life, a life of classical music appreciation.
Mr. Riede moved to Mendocino in 1970 where he opened Alphonso’s and was a local merchant (records and tobacco) for 33 years. For a few years he operated a mail order business offering classical music LPs of exceptional quality accompanied with his incisive commentary. He also piped his classical music to the welcoming shops nearby.
He married Nancy Ann Yolles there but sadly, due to failing health, she died prematurely. They had no children. In 2003 Alphons retired comfortably with his dog Bailey and cat Fred in Fort Bragg surrounded in the warmth of his enormous collection of classical music recordings, his collection of paintings and with a number of his father's carvings.
Alphons died after a long period of declining health. He will be missed dearly by his many friends and by his devoted caregiver, Patricia Darland. ¥¥
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