Richard C. Thiel passed away peacefully, with his family by his side, on Saturday, July 1, 2017 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. He was 85 years old.

He was born in Jersey City and has resided in Woodbridge since 1967.

Mr. Thiel was employed as an electronic draftsman with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for 29 years before retiring in 1994.

He was an active member of the First Congregational Church of Woodbridge and a United States Army veteran.

Mr. Thiel was predeceased by his wife, Rosemarie Piserchia Thiel, in 2012; two daughters, Emmalynn Burke in 2010 and Cheralynn Gilligan in 2016; and a brother, Robert Mitchell.

Surviving are his children, Carolynn Getz and her husband, Eugene, of Edison and Richard Thiel and his wife, Pamela, of Woodbridge; a brother, Arthur, of Bayonne; five grandchildren, Anton Getz, Andrew Getz and his wife Margaret, Thomas Burke, Colby and Alyson Thiel; a great granddaughter, Cali Lynn Burke; and two sons in law, Edward Burke of Woodbridge and John Gilligan of South Amboy. He also enjoyed the company of his feline companion, Baby Girl.

Funeral services will be on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at Costello-Greiner Funeral Home (costello-greiner.com), 44 Green Street at Barron Avenue, Woodbridge. Interment will follow in Bayview-NY Bay Cemetery, Jersey City. Visitation will be on Wednesday morning beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions to the First Congregational Church of Woodbridge, 539 Barron Avenue, Woodbridge, NJ 07095 in Richard's memory would be greatly appreciated by his family.