Richard Jack Riley, age 85, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the Guest Home Estates in Ft. Scott. He was born March 10, 1939, in Ft. Scott, the son of Wallace Riley and Dorothy Brotherton Riley. Richard graduated from the Ft. Scott High School. He married Phyllis Darlene Totman on August 31, 1957, at Miami, Oklahoma. Following their marriage, Richard enlisted with the United States Air Force. He served for six years and was stationed primarily at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base near Kansas City.
Following his military service, Richard returned to Ft. Scott. He worked in the printing department of the Western Insurance Company which later became American States Insurance Company. He also did printing work for Lincoln National Insurance Company and Sekan Printing. During this time, Richard obtained his minister’s license from the Nazarene Church. He was a long-time member of the Ft. Scott Church of the Nazarene. After his retirement, he served as pastor of the Nazarene Church in Humboldt, Kansas for nearly ten years. Richard was a man of many talents. He enjoyed drawing and painting and was an accomplished cartoon artist.
He published a book of his cartoon series, The Lil’ Wrangler. These cartoons were featured in a variety of periodicals including the Western Horseman. Richard also worked as a sign painter. He designed and painted numerous area signs including the Ruddick’s warehouse on the 69 Bypass in Ft. Scott and the Chicken Mary’s sign near Pittsburg. Some of his favorite times were spent on the water. He enjoyed deep-sea fishing and going out on his sailboat. He was fortunate enough to take a father and son cruise onboard the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy while his son, Nathan, was serving with the United States Navy. Following the death of his first wife, Phyllis, on June 13, 2012, Richard married Linda June Hurd on April 6, 2013. Richard and Linda enjoyed five years of married life until her death on May 30, 2018. Richard left behind a legacy of faith and love and will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
Survivors include his three daughters, Belinda Yockey (Don) of Joplin, Missouri, Christine Bosley (Gary) of Ft. Scott and Carol Johnson (Michael) of Lawrence, Kansas. Also surviving are eleven grandchildren, and numerous great and great-great-grandchildren. In addition to his wives, Richard was also preceded in death by his son, Nathan Riley; two brothers, Ronnie and Paul Riley and a sister, Mary Ann Brenner.
Rev. Virgil Peck will conduct funeral services at 1:30 P.M. Friday, March 22nd at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Ft. Scott Church of the Nazarene Mission Department and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook atcheneywitt.com
