Charles Riley, 82

 

Funeral services for Charles Riley, 82, of West Plains, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, at Curry Street Church of Christ in West Plains. Visitation will be from 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home in West Plains. Mr. Riley died Jan. 20 at Brooke Haven Healthcare in West Plains.

He was born March 28, 1937, in Elijah, the son of John Tolbert and Cora Ellen Martin Riley. He graduated from Bakersfield High School in 1955, and on June 14, 1959, in West Plains, he married Betty Johnston.

Mr. Riley served as a member of the Missouri National Guard and was a lumber salesman prior to his retirement. He was always up for a good joke, and he loved his family, gardening, cooking and bird hunting. With Frank Hall, he was instrumental in establishing the South Howell County Ambulance Service. Mr. Riley was a member of Curry Street Church of Christ.

 He is survived by his wife, Betty Riley of the family home; two children, Kelly Gleghorn and husband Kevin, and  Keith Riley and wife Karen, all of West Plains; five grandchildren, Amy Sanders and husband Steve, Chad Gleghorn and wife  Kendra, Allen Riley, Kendall Riley and Anna Riley; four great-grandchildren, Forrest, Avery, Landry and Grayton; and several nieces and nephews.

 He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Eugene Riley, Russell Riley and Cecil Lloyd Riley; two sisters, Wilma North and his twin sister, Charlene Thornton; three half-sisters, Opal Martin, Jewell Kurz and Nell Williams; and one half-brother, Pete Riley.

Burial will be in the Oak Lawn Cemetery in West Plains. Memorial contributions may be made to Ozarks Medical Center Cancer Treatment Center or to Fowler Cemetery and may be left at the funeral home. Online condolences may be expressed at robertsondrago.com.

Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, West Plains, directors. 

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423