Richard W. Griessel

GUILDERLAND - Richard Walter Griessel, 83, entered into eternal life with our LORD January 29, 2011 after a lengthy illness. A lifelong Capital District resident and former General Electric executive, he was born March 1, 1927 in Albany, New York to Albert Griessel and Wilhelmina Griessel.
Richard graduated from Albany High School then joined the US Coast Guard, where he served as a LORAN technician on the Aleutian Island of Attu during World War II. After this service, he returned to the Albany, NY area, completing a bachelor's degree in physics from RPI in Troy. He married his beloved wife Hilda Fern Rabeler of Bovina Center, NY in 1949, and joined General Electric in 1951 as a scientist in Schenectady, NY, in the Transmitting Tube Department. There he helped establish the Nuclear Radiology lab and the Mass Spectroscopy lab. In 1961 he was named to head Product Planning for GE's newly formed Vacuum Products Operation, later becoming acting Manager of Marketing for that group. In 1965 he was selected to be part of a group that would become GE's Technology Transfer function, which he would head beginning in 1967, until his retirement in 1987. After retirement, he operated his own technology transfer and licensing firm, was Licensing Director for National Technologies in Sharon, CT until 1994, and joined Teltech, Inc.
Richard was a member of The American Institute of Physics, The International Vacuum Society, the Licensing Executives Society, The Elfun Society, and a past President of the RPI Mohawk-Hudson Retired Alumni. For many years, he also served as an Ambassador at the Albany International Airport and at the general aviation terminal of Million Air. He was a long time member of Christ Lutheran Church in Albany, serving as lector, lay-minister, Council member, Sunday School and Bible class teacher, and historian.
Richard is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Hilda; his loving daughters, Darlene (Mark) Chesnut of Niskayuna, NY, Deborah Palmieri of Naples, FL, and Denise (Barry) Cavanaugh of Whitesboro, NY; his cherished grandchildren, Owen (Angela), Lydia, Shaye, Emmett, Aidan and A.J.; and his cherished great-grandchildren, Jack and Safita.
The family would like to thank the staff at St. Peter's Hospital for their loving care of Richard.
A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, February 5, 2011 at Christ Lutheran Church in Albany, NY. Calling hours will precede the service from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the church. Interment will be held at a later date at the convenience of the family at Eagle Hill Lutheran Cemetery in Albany.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Christ Lutheran Church, 1500 Western Avenue, Albany, NY 12203 or to a charity of your choice.