Verne Riley

Verne Dwight Riley

June 5, 1942 ~ November 15, 2021

Verne “Mike” Dwight Riley, 79, passed away on Monday, November 15, 2021. He was born on June 5, 1942 in Kansas City, Missouri to Steele Williams and Deane C Farnsworth. And later adopted and raised by Arthur Raymond Riley. He was raised in St. Louis and graduated from Afton High School Class of 1960. After high school he attended BYU and later graduated from Creighton University in Omaha, NE with his Masters in Pharmacy, and later got his MBA at Eastern New Mexico University.

In high school he met the love of his life Barbara Sue McLane at a church dance. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 29, 1961.

Verne could never quite settle down and moved his family several times. He spent most of his life as a Pharmacist or Hospital Pharmacy Administrator. But also owned a toy store and alpaca ranch. Working in Nebraska, Missouri, Texas, Utah, New Mexico, Alaska, Montana and Arizona.

He loved fishing, hunting, and camping. He often said Nome, Alaska was his favorite place to live because he could do all those things he loved.

Verne served as a Bishop in Montana and in Bishoprics in Washington and Alaska. He served in the Quorum of the Seventy with his Mission President, Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone.

After Barbara passed away in 2012, Verne married Sheri Conant in Apache Junction, AZ. Sheri passed away in December 2020.

Verne is survived by his children, Curtis (Milissa) Riley of Albuquerque, NM; Denise (Troy) Ledbetter of Fruitland, UT; Lisa (Jake) Hartwig of Yakima, WA; and Michael (Lupita) Riley of Sierra Vista, AZ; 21 grandchildren and 42 great-grandchildren with one on the way; and sister, Kathryne Robertson of Caldwell, ID. He was preceded in death by his wives, Barbara and Shari; daughter, Marsha Kay Riley; parents and siblings, Wayne, Myrne, JoDeane and Gayle.

The family will be holding a Celebration of Life in the summer.

Arrangements entrusted to Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary.