Posted by Phyllis Streiff on October 6, 2011:

Colonel Richard Wendell Streiff, of Nashville, died on Nov. 29, 2008. Colonel Streiff was a 1946 graduate of the United States Military Academy West Point, attaining a subsequent Masters in International Affairs at George Washington University. He was also a graduate of the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Va., and the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. His military career took him to most of the continental states and included overseas service in the Panama Canal Zone, Korea, and three tours in West Germany, in addition to some 20 other foreign nations. He served on battalion, regimental, division, corps, and field army staffs. He was awarded the Silver Star twice for valor in combat and the Purple Heart during the Korean Conflict. Subsequently, he received five awards of the Army Commendation Ribbon. Some of his many assignments included duty as Commanding Officer of a tank battalion at Fort Carson, Colorado and Deputy Post Commander and Deputy Chief of Staff at that same station. Colonel Streiff also served as the Commanding Officer of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas. Later in his career, he served at the White House as the Assistant Military Aide to President Eisenhower from 1953 to 1956 and again from 1959 through the period of General Eisenhower's Presidency. Some of his last military assignments included serving as Deputy Special Assistant to President Nixon as a liaison with former Presidents and conducted the Flexibility Study at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. Although he obviously achieved tremendous accomplishments throughout his military career, he valued family dearly. He was a gentle and loving husband and father. He will be remembered as an extraordinary man who loved God, family and his country. He is survived by wife, Phyllis Streiff of Nashville; daughter, Nicole Streiff (Patrick) McCoin, MD of Franklin; son, James Dale (Pamela) Streiff of Lebanon, Penn.; daughter in-law, Nancy Streiff of Reston, Va.; brother in-law, Herbert Cliff Black and nephew, Benjamin Black of Danville, Ky.; grandchildren, Catherine Ann McCoin, Jason, Joshua and Erik Streiff. He is preceded in death by his parents Fred P and Esther K Streiff of New Glarus, Wisc. and son, Rick Streiff.

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