Wilam May Riley

Funeral Service: At Wilma's request, no services are planned.

Wilma May (Mury) Riley, age 85, of Billings formerly of Jordan passed away on Monday, April 13, 2009 at the Billings Clinic in Billings.

Wilma May (Mury) Riley was born July 10, 1923 in Lamont, Nebraska, the 4th child of Sophia (Reuther) and Emil Mury and she moved with her family shortly thereafter to Crooked River, Saskatchewan, Canada where they resided until she was about 15 years old, at which time the family moved back to the United States and lived in the Brusett area where they had extended family. Wilma had a beautiful voice and when asked ifshe sang for special occasions, Wilma said she sang all the time because she just loved to sing. When she was young, she particularly loved to ride horseback to go to the country dances. Wilma was united in marriage to Herschel (H. K.) Riley on April 6, 1943 and two daughters were born to that union, Patricia Lyn and Karen Kay.

Wilma worked alongside her husband and supported him wholeheartedly in whatever endeavor he was in at the time. She was an integral part of the trucking business that she and Herschel operated for many years, in that she was up from dawn to dusk making sure that there was a hot meal on the table for the men, booking trucks while Herschel was on the road and on many occasion, she hauled a load of grain herself. After they retired from trucking, she and Herschel owned and operated a Ceretana feed business and Wilma again played an important part in the day to day operation of the business and taking care of the customers.

Wilma was an excellent cook and there was always a pot of coffee and a piece of pie ready for anyone who stopped by for any reason. She loved to watch her garden grow and her flowersbloom and especially enjoyed having the birds flitting around and singing. Her other hobbies were sewing, crocheting, knitting and embroidering, crossword & jigsaw puzzles, dancing and singing.

Wilma passed away at the age of 85 on April 13, 2009 in Billings where she had recently moved to be closer to her family. She is survived by her daughters, Lyn Riley and Kay (Floyd) Beecher, her step-children, Gene Riley, Mona (Dan) Beringer and Dawn Rookhuizen; her grandchildren, Bryce (Kristin) Beecher and Charles (Kacey) Beecher; Echo (Sam) Kampf, Craig(Sherrie) Riley, Jay Jensen, Taryl Jensen, Eric (Phuong Lynn) Jensen, Heather (Troy) Wallace and Derek Rookhuizen; her great-grandchildren, Felicia and Tessa Kampf, Shalena and Liam Riley, Kierre Jensen, Mai Lynn and Vi Lynn Jensen, Faith Riley Wallace, Seeley Riley Beecherand Jordan Grace Beecher; her sister-in-law, Fay Ziegele, and special extended family, John D. & Mary Alice Murnion and Bev (Joe) Murnion.

Wilma was preceded in death by her husband H.K., her parents, Emil and Sophia Mury; her brother, Vern Mury, her sisters, Marguerite Weaver and Norma Johnson; and her great-granddaughter, Sierra Kampf.

Cremation has taken place and a going away celebration will be held at a later date.