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On February 28, 2024, Rich heard the Lord say, "Come follow me and I will give you rest".

Mass of Christian Burial for Richard will be Saturday, March 16, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. MT at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lemmon, SD.  Fr. Adam Hofer and Fr. Dan Juelfs will officiate with burial to be held at a later date.

Visitation will be from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home, followed by a Rosary/Vigil service at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 15, 2024 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lemmon, SD.

Rich touched the lives of many…as a husband, a dad, a pappa, a brother, a teacher, and a friend. Rich was born on July 27, 1948, on the family farm to Gabriel and Catherine Greff.  His twin sister, Linda, was born 10 minutes later.

Rich often said he enjoyed his teen and high school years.  At a young age, he knew that he wanted to become a math teacher…and that he was, for 42 years, a dream come true.  He graduated from Dickinson State College in 1970 and received his master's degree in 1995 from University of Wyoming in Laramie.

Rich's first teaching job was in Reeder, ND, from 1970-1972; then Streeter, ND, from 1972-1978. During that time, he took a year off to work in the Streeter Bank. The family moved to Lemmon in 1978 and bought their first home, and Rich taught in Lemmon until 2013.

Rich chose Clara Schoch in 1970 to become his lifelong friend.  They have 3 amazing children, and they continue to be amazing.  Steve married Brandi Keel and gave us four beautiful grandkids, Emerald, Samantha, Molly, and Jonah.  Stephanie married Kegan Franklin and they blessed us with Keeona, KJ, and their angel Joshua.  Jessica married Chris Yushta and two more little grands blessed us, Emerson, and Gabe.  His grandkids named him Pappa, and proud and happy he was.

Rich was never afraid of work and had a strong work ethic. He was his dad's right hand and main helper farming near Regent, until 1970.  He painted many houses, up and down the streets or farmsteads in Lemmon, hanging the paint brush up in 2013.

We so enjoyed retirement.  Finally, time to spend with the kids and grandkids.  Camping was always in our blood, and we loved staying in AZ for three winters, cards, friends, family and living the dream.  A true Viking fan Clara had on her hands. If you were visiting or watching a game with him, you knew!

Rich's faith grew even deeper in the years ahead.  He was first diagnosed with follicular lymphoma in 2009; then Large B Cell Lymphoma in 2019.  In 2020 Rich underwent a transplant of his own stem cells, and we spent 99 days at Mayo Clinic.  The following year, on the day of our 51st Anniversary, due to the aggressive chemotherapy, we were told he had kidney damage and MDS, a rare blood disease with no cure, and a year to live.  Then came countless units of blood and platelet transfusions and began dialysis in 2021.  After another bone marrow biopsy in December 2023, it showed he had developed Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Rich leaves his wife Clara; son, Steve and Brandi Greff; daughters, Stephanie and Kegan Franklin and Jessica and Chris Yushta; and eight grandchildren.  Also surviving are brothers and sisters, Carol and Ken Biddle, Robin Greff, Don and Georgene Greff, Linda and Ken Evenson, Cindy and Dan Reinbold and Pat and Dale Wanner; and many brothers and sisters-in-laws and umpteen nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Gabriel Jr. and Catherine Greff and brother, Jim Greff; grandson Joshua; his in-laws, Jerome, and Emma Schoch along with several of Clara's family, aunts, uncles, and dear friends.