Obit: Riley, Rev. Arthur C. (1883 - 1965)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Riley, Rayburn, Zadaraka, Fuller, Bierly, Brackley, Congram, Blackhall, Thompson, Doering

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) February 11, 1965

Riley, Rev. Arthur C. (6 September 1883 - 5 February 1965)

Double funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon from the Methodist Church in Loyal for the Rev. and Mrs. Arthur C. Riley, who died within two days of one-another late last week.

The Rev. Riley, 81, served Methodist pastorates in Greenwood and Merrillan, as well as in the Unity-Colby area before his retirement.

The Rev. Mr. Riley died Friday in a Marshfield hospital following a lingering illness. Mrs. Riley followed in death Sunday morning at their home in Unity. She, also, had been ill for some time.

The services were conducted by the Rev. Herbert Thompson of La Crosse, district superintendent, and the Rev. Paul Doering of Loyal. Burial was made in the Loyal Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were made by the Hill Funeral Home of Greenwood.

Mr. Riley served the Methodist congregation in Greenwood from 1953 to 1955, going from there to Merrillan. Following his retirement a few years ago, he and Mrs. Riley moved to unity to make their home.

Mr. Riley was born September 6, 1883, in England.  Coming to North America, he received his early education in British Columbia and attended Oaknoton College and Toronto University before coming to the United States in 1921.

His first pastorate was at Wauconda, Ill., where he served while also attending the University of Chicago.  In 1941, he came to Clark County, serving first congregations in the Colby and Unity area.

Mrs. Riley was born May 17, 1896, in Ingersol, Ont. Canada.  Mr. and Mrs. Riley were married on her 20^th birthday, May 17, 1916, in Wingham, Ont., Canada.

Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Frederick (Marion) Rayburn, of Neillsville, Mrs. Fred (Muriel) Zadaraka of Moline, Ill., Mrs. Rodney (Dorothy) Fuller of Wisconsin Rapids, and Mrs. Richard (Frances) Bierly of Peoria, Ill.; and by  two sons, Arthur C., Jr., of Peoria Ll., and the Rev. Donald R., of Livingston.  Also surviving are 23 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Mr. Riley also is survived by a sister, Rose, who lives in England; and Mrs. Riley by two sisters, Mrs. William (Anna) Brackley of Gravenhurst, Ont., Canada, and Mrs. Wilfrid (Elsie) Congram of Wingham, Ont., Canada; and by two brothers, Clarence of Toronto, and Charles Blackhall of Rockford, Ill.