Mildred “Kay” (Sutter) Riehl

Mildred “Kay” (Sutter) Riehl

Cedar Rapids

Mildred “Kay” (Sutter) Riehl, 78, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away peacefully on January 15, 2026.

Kay was born on October 13, 1947, and grew up on a farm outside of Colfax, Illinois. She spent most of her time playing in the fields and woods with her six siblings. This is probably where her love of nature began.

Kay was working in Bloomington, Illinois, when she met Richard Riehl who was in town for a construction job. They married on February 1, 1969, and settled in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where they raised four children. For many years, Kay provided in-home daycare, helping to nurture a generation of children on the southeast side of town. Once her own children were grown, she started a second career working at the front desk of the Indian Creek Nature Center. She managed the museum and gift shop, helped to organize events such as the annual Maple Syrup Festival, and enjoyed talking with visitors about local plants and animals.

Kay was passionate about nature. She took her children on regular walks through the nearby woods, teaching them to identify plants. The family went on countless weekend hiking adventures to state parks. Kay and Richard invested a great deal of time and love in their large backyard, restoring it to its natural state and even having it officially certified as an Urban Wildlife Refuge. They were also avid birders, maintaining dozens of feeders in the yard, spending long afternoons sitting by the river observing the hawks and eagles, and traveling to Nebraska to watch the migration of the Sandhill Cranes.

Kay was preceded in death by her husband Richard, her parents Tony and Laverne Sutter, and her siblings Floyd Sutter and Steven Sutter.

She is survived by her children Anastasia Riehl (Jennifer Good) of Toronto, Lance Riehl (Nancy Hernandez de Riehl) of Colorado Springs, Natasha Riehl of Cedar Rapids and Karissa Riehl of New York City; her seven beloved grandchildren Ezri, Gabe, Joy, Manny, Leo Emile, Matchi and Kiki; her siblings Darrel Sutter, Vernon Sutter, Julia (William) Gunderson, and Nancy (Robert) Daniels; sisters-in-law Wanda Sutter and Georgie Riehl; brother-in-law Bob (Nancy) Riehl; many nieces and nephews; honorary grandson Ashton Mauderer; and wonderful friends.

The family would like to thank Hiawatha Care Center, where Kay lived for the past five years. Many wonderful staff members provided excellent care and became special friends to Kay.

There will be a visitation on January 22 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home and a service on January 23 at 11:00 a.m. at the Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories, which will be followed by a luncheon.

For those who wish, memorial donations can be made to the Indian Creek Nature Center.