Jeanette M. Riehle 84, formerly of Wausau, WI, died peacefully on Wednesday May 6, 2026, at Strake Court Assisted Living in Conroe, TX.
She was born June 8, 1941, in Athens, WI, the only child of Arthur and Adela (Miller) Nowicki. Part of a multi-generational musical family, she loved playing piano accordion in the family band and giving lessons to locals. She graduated in 1959 from Athens High School and held several secretarial positions in Wausau. On July 17, 1964, she married Bernard A. Riehle at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Athens. Jeanette co-founded and managed their business, Riehle Plumbing, Heating and Electric, until they divorced in 1982.
In 1983 Jeanette moved with her daughter, Tiffany, to Houston, TX, where she tirelessly raised her, engaging in various activities. She worked for many years as a dedicated and skilled administrative assistant in healthcare. Jeanette retired from the big city to quieter life in Conroe to pursue interests in needlecrafts, scrapbooking, and fishing. She also loved music, cars, reading, and baking cookies with her granddaughter, Kaylin!
Jeanette lived her life with strong determination, fierce independence, and tenacious love of family, taking great pride in their successes.
Survivors include her daughter, Tiffany Colarusso, son-in-law, Todd Colarusso, and granddaughter, Kaylin Colarusso, of Atlanta, GA.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her ex-husband, Bernard, on May 21, 2024.
The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 14, 2026 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Conroe, Texas. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the Mass beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the church. Jeanette will be laid to rest at Restlawn Memorial Park in Wausau, WI at a later time.
