Mary Riley, age 93, passed away at her home in Richmond on January 2, 2026.
Mary met the love of her life, Bill, at 14. They married at 21 and had 5 children. In 1969, the family immigrated to Berea, Kentucky, where they lived for 17 years.
Mary loved volunteering for the church and ended up with a paid position at the Christian Appalachian Project (The Attic). Mary was an excellent seamstress and loved her weekly sewing class, as well as crafts and her beautiful knitting.
Mary moved to North Carolina with her beloved husband, Bill, where she resided for 30 years. Mary continued her volunteer work at the church and her hobbies of sewing and swimming. Mary was an eager learner and never shied away from taking new classes to further her education.
Due to dementia, she moved back to Berea at the age of 83 to be close to her family and has resided at Dominion Senior Living in memory care for the last year and a half.
She was born in England to the late Samuel Brierly and Elsie BrierlyTaylor. She is also preceded in death by her loving husband Bill, one brother, Samuel Brierly, and one son-in-law, J.C. Adams.
She is survived by her children, Stephen (Jennifer) Riley, Maureen Adams, Elaine (David) Miracle, Anthony Riley, and Andrew (Heather) Riley, six grandchildren, Dameon (Lisa) Adams, Kevin (Yvette) Riley, Michael (Lucy) Miracle, Chris Adams, Taylor Miracle, and Brinn Riley, and four great grandchildren, Landon and Camden Adams, and Ava Jane and Julia Ann Riley.
Funeral services will be at 1 pm, Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at Lakes Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Madison County Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 11 am to 1 pm at the funeral home.
Pallbearers will be Dameon Adams, Kevin Riley, Michael Miracle, Taylor Miracle, Camden Adams, and Landon Adams. Honorary bearers will be Chris Adams and Brinn Riley.
