Submitted by: Dan Rich

Eleanor Ernestine Riley

Nov. 10, 1922 - April 7, 2002

South Bend Tribune 4/10/2002

Eleanor Ernestine Riley, 79, passed after an illness at 10:35 a.m. on Sunday, April 7, in Memorial Hospital, South Bend, Ind. She was born in Washington, Ind., on Nov. 10, 1922, to Ernest E. Burch and Clara I. Woodsmall Burch. She lived in several communities throughout Indiana and the Midwest with her parents before graduating from high school in Valley, Wis. Following high school, she attended Indiana Central College (University of Indianapolis) where she met Edward Allan Riley. They married in Indianapolis, Ind., on May 22, 1942. She had five children in the following 12 years, who were raised in LaPorte, Ind. Eleanor made the surprising decision to return to college in 1957. She earned her teaching degree from Valparaiso University in 1960 when the eldest of her five children was 18 and her youngest was five. She taught elementary school in LaPorte for 22 years, teaching at Handley, Kingsbury and Stillwell schools.

Following their retirement, she and Ed continued to live in the Oak Manor Circle until they moved to South Bend in 1987, eventually settling at Fairfax Court Villas in 1991. Eleanor recently moved to The Pointe Apartments at Hamilton Communities, New Carlisle, Ind.

Eleanor was preceded in death by her son, Edward Allan Riley Jr. in 1977; and by her husband Ed in 1997; her brother, Harlan Burch; and by her sisters, Garnetta George and Esther Thompson. She is survived by her children, James (Gerri) Riley of Miami, Fla., Mark (Marie) Riley of Phoenix, Ariz., Gail (Paul) Marsh of LaPorte and Kim (James) Betz of South Bend; 17 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; and by a daughter-in-law, Charlene Mason Riley of Indianapolis, Ind.

Eleanor will be remembered by her family, friends and neighbors for her humor, her outspokenness, and her summer flower gardens. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church in LaPorte, but had been attending Crest Manor Church of the Brethren in South Bend. Memorial donations may be made to Crest Manor Church or to the Michiana Humane Society of Michigan City, Ind.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 12, in the Cutler Funeral Home, LaPorte, with the Rev. Larry Fourman officiating. Friends may call in the funeral home from 10 a.m. Friday until the time of services. Burial will be in the Kingsbury Cemetery.