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Dr. John Larston Reitzel

Dr. John Larston Reitzel obituary, Asheville, NC

John Reitzel Obituary

Dr. John Larston Reitzel

January 8, 1941 - December 19, 2014

Asheville

Dr. John Larston Reitzel died peacefully in his sleep at home Friday morning after a valiant battle with ALS. John was philosopher king of his own patch of paradise, beloved paterfamilias, devout atheist, ring-leader and hell-raiser. The frog was his totem.

John was born January 8, 1941 to John Larston Reitzel, Sr. and Nancy Finch Reitzel in Asheville, North Carolina. His childhood and adolescence were spent in Raleigh, where he graduated from Broughton High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1964 and a PhD in Physiology from North Carolina State University in 1980. He was married to Patricia Quinn Williams from 1966 to 1968. From 1972 to 1978 he was married to Nadine Annette Perry. He married Beverly Royall Rosser on December 29, 1979. John and Bev were one of the great couples of all time. They had passion, romance, companionship and a lot of fun.

John had a keen mind and a questing spirit. His top Scrabble score was 537, in spite of never having mastered spelling. He was an ACC basketball aficionado and a Cubs fan. He played clarinet and saxophone. His singing voice was reedy and heartbreakingly sweet.

John's career was a smorgasbord. During the Vietnam War he worked with Behavioral Systems Inc. training dogs to sniff out landmines. He taught at his high school alma mater—very briefly, because the administration did not take kindly to him encouraging students to skip class if they weren't going to put some effort into learning algebra. At NC State he worked in a laboratory doing something terribly complicated with chickens and brains. In the 1980s he owned HealthWays, a Nautilus club in downtown Raleigh.

His highest achievements, however, came after he gave up working traditional jobs and moved his family to the mountains outside of Weaverville. John did pretty much whatever he wanted, and what he wanted was glorious: a chunk of land, an old log cabin, his true love, a troupe of kids and deep abiding friendships. He lived well.

John is survived by his widow, Beverly Rosser Reitzel; sister, Ann Reitzel Hart; children, Rose Ellen Reitzel-Perry Dunnington, Philo Rosser Reitzel, Lillian Finch Reitzel Romero Gallegos, Eva Royall Reitzel Thompson and John Adam Reitzel; grandsons, Wynn Reitzel Dunnington and Vincent Reitzel Thompson; and step-granddaughter Caroleina Romero Gallegos.

John will be buried at home on his land Sunday, December 21 at 2:00. There will be a tree-planting memorial service in the spring.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The News & Observer on Dec. 21, 2014.

Memories and Condolences
for John Reitzel

Not sure what to say?





Lyn Roberts

December 15, 2023

John was delightfully unique. I enjoyed our lifelong friendship enormously. Nadine, my bestie, and Beverly are so dear. Memories to treasure.

Lyn

December 15, 2020

John was a unique and wonderful man. I loved and admired him.

William May

January 27, 2018

I will always remember that John. We spent many lunch time hours discussing (and trying to figure out) the meaning of a poet that a substitute 10th grade english teacher had introduced to us. The poet was ee cummings. Later I talked with him at Chapel Hill, he was in a bit of a rush because he had to get back to his class - they were discussing the man-machine interface. Great Remembrances of you John, thank you.

Mark Sellers

January 2, 2015

That is a very funny photo of John Reitzel! Thanks for posting it.

JR (2nd from left) in Raleigh 1960 (Spring Break)

David Gullette

January 1, 2015

John and I went to high school together and were part of the non-countryclub/egghead set. I have a 1960 photo (attached) of him and other friends when I brought my roommates down from Cambridge on Spring Break. Sounds like he lead a varied and iconoclastic life. I honor his memory.

December 26, 2014

John was a friend of mine. From Chapel Hill NC to Carboro to Raleigh to Bluemont WVA to Weaverville NC, trips through the South and New Mexico, we mixed and mingled in fun, ideas, facts, events, good friends, he was a better man than I. He did not have a mean bone in his thin body.

He said, "Keep your feet above the ground!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swy8FJUCFpI

He lived his life on his own terms and won!

Mark Sellers

December 25, 2014

John was a friend of mine. He lived the life on his terms and clearly he won!

December 24, 2014

Buddy Westbrook- Classmate

Kenn Hicks

December 23, 2014

... sending a tune, for Beverly and John's extended family. I think he would approve :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RalmbOEN5FA

Kenn (formerly of the Green Level volleyball gatherings) and Players Retreat veterans... RIP dear friend.

December 23, 2014

I remember John from the 8th grade to his graduation from UNC. We played in the band, had marvelous adventures exploring Raleigh at night. He lived not too far from me in Weaverville and regularly urged me to join in "Tubing The Toe." I will miss his off-beat take on life and his courage to be himself in the face of the pressure to lead a "conventional" life.

Mike Wise

December 23, 2014

I am sad to hear of John's passing and I send my sincere condolences to his family. I am John's cousin and I have such wonderful memories of spending time with John, Ann, Aunt Nancy, and Uncle John when I was young. John was eight years older and had many interests. I remember that he was very kind, very intelligent, and was the most attentive listener. I have thought of him so often through the years!

Lynn Thompon

December 23, 2014

I will forever remember our four-some trip to the beach after HS graduation. John said that he wanted to know what it would be like to get drunk...after lots of vodka and a trip or two to the porcelain God, he looked at me while trying to crawl into bed and said, "Everone should do this once, but never, ever again!". Thanks John, I will always have that memory, so funny at the time, yet poignant forever.
Lynn Thompon

Jon & Helen Butcher/Frady

December 22, 2014

John was an inspiration when I wandered here escaping New England 40 years ago. Love and good memories to Beverly and all the family.

Lyn Roberts

December 21, 2014

Heartfelt condolences to John's wonderful family. His was a life lived fully.

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