George Fred Riley

George Fred Riley, 79, of Edgewood, New Mexico, passed away on Thursday, January 10, 2013. George was born September 25th, 1933 in Ewing, New Mexico to Chester and Mattie (Holliday) Riley. George was a member of Valley View Christian Church in Edgewood. He was an US Army veteran of the Korean Conflict, serving honorably. He was a journeyman sheetmetal worker in Local Union 49 receiveing his 60 year award in August of 2012. It was the work he loved—fabricating in the shop all kinds of metal ductwork which over the years was installed in buildings all over New Mexico. In addition to sheetmetal work he loved working with his hands in all kinds of construction crafts which later contributed to the building of his and Nancy's home on Skyline Drive in Edgewood. He was always a cowboy at heart having been born and raised in the Estancia valley on the family ranch there. He loved to hunt and during his youth he and his brothers and friends would pack in on horses to high country and camp. When he was a young man he sometimes visited his cousin in Pagosa Springs, Colorado and helped throw feed from a buckboard to the cattle when the snow was very deep. Pagosa Springs would become he and his wife's favorite vacation spot years later. He enjoyed fiddle music and was a fine dancer to country western music. He married the love of his life, Nancy E. Gilfillan, February 11th, 1983, on their property on Skyline Drive where they continued to reside their entire 29 years of marriage. George was preceded in death by his parents, son Chester Allen Riley, brothers Jimmy Riley and JR Riley. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, son George Dale Riley of Los Chavez, NM, daughters Patricia Lynn Wandersee of Dwight, Kansas and Jessica Jonette Simpson and her husband, Don, of Los Lunas, NM, stepdaughter, Dale Cara Canner and her husband, Marc, of Gaston, South Carolina; brothers Chester Riley Jr. and his wife, Edyth, Waylen Riley, and Ivan Riley and his wife Marion; sisters Helen Hiatt and her husband, Art, and their son, Tracy, Juanita Simon, Margaret Hendricks, Katherine Riley, and Leatha Burns and her husband Kenny; eleven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. There will be a memorial service at Valley View Christian Church in Edgewood on Monday, January 14th, 2013 at 11am. Burial of cremains will be at Santa Fe National Cemetary at a later date. Honorary pallbearers will be his brothers Chester Riley Jr., Waylen Riley, Ivan Riley, Phil Todd, Tony Jaramillo Jr. and Tony Jaramillo Sr. Arrangements entrusted to Harris-Hanlon Mortuary.