George Dewey Riley Jr.

George Dewey Riley Jr. was born in Cook County, Gainesville, Texas to George Dewey and Iva Huey Riley on August 2, 1928. His mother was canning peaches when labor began. His birth year is well remembered as this was the year the peaches were so big they had to cut them into quarters to fit them in a jar. Anyone who knew our dad very well has heard that story many times. George left this earth to be with Jesus and his loved ones in heaven on December 6, 2011.

George grew up in the country in the small north Texas community of Union Grove. He was related to most of the kids in his school where the teachers taught a classroom of kids at varying grades and age levels. Every school day from the time he started elementary school he walked a mile to school in the freezing snow, up hill both ways. Sometimes he walked 3 miles.

George graduated from Pilot Point High School and left shortly thereafter to join the army. He was barely 17 years old when he landed in Hiroshima, Japan, August 6, 1946; one year to the day after the United States dropped the bomb to end the war. He served as a medic and had many interesting stories to tell of his time in the service. He was a veteran and he has a brick in the wall of honor at Veteran’s Park in College Station, Texas.

Upon his return from serving our country George met a pretty little “soda-fountain” girl at the Gainesville drug store named Marie Terry. They married in May 1930. 9 months and 2 weeks later he and Marie welcomed their first daughter, Mary Frances. The prospective grandmother’s on both sides of the family were counting the days to Mary’s delivery. Like my dad’s mom always said, “that first baby can come at anytime, but the rest of the pregnancies usually take 9 months”. They were thrilled that the baby didn’t come early. George and the small family moved to Bryan, Texas where Jane Marie was born 3 years later. Dawn Rene’ was born 4 years after that and so life continued with kids, wife, church, bridge, career and dad’s token “son”, Bingo, our dog. Life was good.

Dad was a meat salesman for Swift Meat Company. He changed careers in the mid 60’s to sell insurance and eventually had his own business with Farmer’s Insurance Group. His tall 3-sided sign still stands on the corner of Deacon and Texas Ave where the Wings and More restaurant is now located. Dad got into the home building business and enjoyed selling houses to first time homebuyers more than any other. He owned APEX realty and had the time of his life smoking cigars, selling insurance, building houses, and selling real estate. He was a genius bridge player and was a little embarrassed that he always won high when he played the game. George and Marie played bridge for most of their 26 years together. Marie was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 37 and died 10 years later.

Dad remarried in 1978 and welcomed a second set of children into his home. He enjoyed being

“dad” to Debbi Hiler Beck and Ursella Hiler. Ursella loved to go to the corner store with dad. He would give her a sack and tell her to fill it with all the candy she wanted. She would fill it as full as she could get it and he would send her back to the candy to shove in some more. When he was 51 years old he was blessed with his 4th daughter, Jennifer Georgann. Amazingly, 365 days and 2 minutes later he at last had his first son, George Dewey Riley III. Once again, he began teaching this second generation the stories of his youth and how to get along in this world.

In his later years George had a loving relationship with his beautiful Dorothy Levene. They met playing bridge at the Senior Citizens Center in Bryan. They spent many joyous hours and evenings discussing life, love and philosophy. Dorothy made George’s life complete. In his final days, the mention of her name brought a beaming smile to his face.

George spent his last 6 years living with Lee and Janie. He never thought he would live with one of his kids and was resistant to moving in. He asked Janie how he could make things go smoothly in the home and she told him to always give Lee the remote control. He always did and they lived in peace to his “happily ever after”. Rene’ welcomed dad into her home about the time Compassionate Care Hospice came on the scene to help dad into transition from this life. She loved caring for him, cooking his favorite foods and watching Wheel of Fortune most every night. He enjoyed Rene’ giving him what he called, “a good general back scratchin’”. Dad loved all of his children. He was grateful to have them by his side in the days before he left this earth.

Forever thanks and love is given to Evans and Juliana Afriyie-Gyawu, Maudene Proctor and Julia Johnson for their ever-loving care to our sweet daddy. They were care- givers, companions and friends. May they be blessed a thousand fold for their kindness and dedication to our daddy bear.

Special thanks and gratitude to Whitney Stringfellow and Roselind Hill for their love and care they gave dad day and night and night and day toward the end of his journey. May blessings overflow in your lives for the gentle ways you cared for dad’s every need. You were his and our gift.

Thank you also to dad’s special friends, former partners and coffee drinking buddies. He loved having coffee with the “Boys” as often as he could. We would like to give big hugs to Gary Cross for the everyday calls and visits and for not being afraid to say the words, “I love you” to a true friend.

To Compassionate Care Hospice we thank you for helping dad and us through this time. It is because of you he was able to go feeling no pain and enjoying peace and comfort.

George is survived by Mary Frances Cheatham, Janie and Lee Bason, Dawn Rene’ Hairston, John and Debbi Beck, Ursulla Hiler, Aaron and Jennifer Georgann Arthur and George Dewey III and wife Megan Riley. His little sister Mary Jo Lay and husband Billy Gene also survive him as well as his adoring grandchildren: Christopher George Masterson and wife Jennifer, Keith Austin Masterson and wife Marissa, Melissa Masterson, Eleah Marie Bason and newborn Riley Dene Arthur.

In lieu of flowers George would love donations made to Cornerstone Christian Academy c/o A&M Church of Christ or the Brazos County Senior Citizens Center located in Bryan, Texas