Lawrence M. Riley, 80, of Fayette died Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at the Oelwein Health Care Center.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday April 8, 2017, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Fayette with Rev. Dale Rausch officiating. Interment will follow at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Friday, April 7, at Becker-Milnes Funeral home in Fayette and for one hour preceding mass at the church on Saturday. There will be a rosary recited at 3:45 p.m. and scripture service at 7:30 p.m., both on Friday at the funeral home.
Lawrence Matthew, son of John H. and Edna C. (Sloan) Riley was born January 12, 1937, at the hospital in West Union, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at Holy Name Catholic Church in West Union. Larry received his education at St. Mary’s in Waucoma, Donnan Country Schools before graduating from West Union High School in 1954. On November 5, 1955, he was united in marriage with Georgie Schmelzer at Holy Name Catholic Church in West Union. To this union two children were born, Larry, Jr. and Lori. Larry worked at a rock quarry in Fayette, farmed his family farm near Randalia, and in Ellsworth, Wisconsin. Upon returning to Fayette, he owned and operated Larrys’ Service Station, managed the Elgin Lumber Company, and with his son, owned and operated Riley Construction. After moving to Arizona with his wife, the couple became very involved in the National Federation of Federal Employees. After Georgie’s death occurred on August 12, 1998, Larry returned to Fayette. He was a long time member of St. Francis of Assisi in Fayette, where he served on the church council for many years. Larry was a volunteer firefighter for the Fayette Fire Department and was a Boy Scout Leader. He enjoyed golfing, camping, family vacations, but most especially he enjoyed going to all of his grandkids events.
Larry is survived by his two children, Larry (Laura) Riley of Springville and Lori (Scott) Kime-Waskow of Fayette; eight grandchildren, Lance Riley, Landon Riley, Leah (Jake) Connor, Kerrigan Riley, Cavanaugh Riley, Kaleb, Collin, and Mikaela Kime; three great-grandchildren, Mariah, Madison, and McKenna Riley; one brother, John H., Jr. (Betty) Riley of Galena, Illinois; two sisters-in-law, Janice (Al) Leonard of Ellsworth, Wisconsin and Dorothy Schmelzer of Oelwein; and one brother-in-law, Richard (Ardith) Barnes of Clermont.
In addition to his parents and wife, Georgie, he was preceded in death by his son-in-law, Kraig Kime in February of 2012; and one sister, Kathryn Barnes.
