Fay Riley

F.C. RILEY DILLON, MT -- Long time livestock and long haul trucking pioneer Fay Clinton "F.C." Riley passed away on December 19, 2008, in Dillon, Montana, from effects of Parkinson’s Disease. He was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, on December 23, 1920, the third child and second son of C. J. “Cliff”and Ella Nora Hanson Riley. He attended schools in the Shelton, Ririe, and Ucon areas north of Idaho Falls as his family farmed in various locations. He attended Ucon High School along with Ed Buck, Leah Phillips Cleverley, and Aki Kobayashi Saito, who along with many others of their peers, moved to Dillon from Idaho the 1940's and 50's. He enlisted in the US Navy serving in the South Pacific as a gunner during World War II on the troop transport ship the USS Seawolf. After the war, he began a trucking business in Montana with his childhood friend Ed “Bud” Buck, as well as dry farming with Hi Cleverley on the East Bench. Fay met Barbara Louise Collins at her family ranch at Grays Lake, Idaho where he went for a summer job “in the hay” in 1948; they married at his parent’s farm in the Jameston area (Canyon Road) south of Idaho Falls on March 18, 1949. Fay moved his family to Dillon in 1949, where Fay and Bud built a truck shop in what was then the extreme Northside of Dillon.(currently the site of Rocky Mountain Supply) and operated as Buck & Riley, the first long haul trucking firm in the Dillon area. After Bud quit trucking for ranching, Fay operated long haul trucks from California to Canada; he was in business at various times with Ray Rebich, Otto Christensen and Francis Mooney. Fay bought livestock hauling rights from Alvin Owen and trucked livestock in southwest Montana before selling that portion of the business in the late 1980's. In the 1970's he had built the truck shop on Ramshorn Street and Fay and Ken and Kon Peters formed Peters and Riley, Inc. which then continued in the livestock transportation and cattle buying business. Riley Trucking and P&R continued until 2000 when Fay retired, along with chief driver Tony Staley. Fay was preceded in death by his wife Barbara and his daughter, Louise; his parents, his sister, Elaine, and her husband, Nels Jensen; his brother, Earl and his wife, Bertha, and daughter, Marilyn; brothers-in-law, Robert, and his wife, Verla, Collins, Charles, and his wife Barbara, Collins; and Michael Bews; niece, Jane Ann Greene, and nephew Richard, and his wife, Carma, and their son, Brent, Collins. He is survived by his sons: Craig and wife Peggy of Spokane, WA and Michael of Dillon; “adopted” daughter Susan Cleverley of Idaho Falls; his care giver, his “Kate, Darlene Cross and her son Austin of Dillon; grandson, Sean (Laura) Frost and daughters Sheridan and Rylie; granddaughter Paige (Dan) Lamb and their children Bailey and Emme Mae all of Spokane; nieces Cheryl Collins and Shirley (Roger) Sanderson of Idaho Falls; Cari Hudson of Preston, ID; Lori Collins of Redding, CA; Robin Collins of Grace, ID; Koral (Doug) Conboy of Silverwood, ID and Ladell Greene of Seattle, WA; nephews Reo Collins of Idaho Falls, Darwin (Roxie) and Alfred Jensen of Blackfoot, ID and Chuck (Diane) Collins of Jerome, ID; sister-in-law Carol Stafford of West Valley City, UT; many Idaho Hanson/.Hansen cousins, and Chad (Heather) Hansen of Dillon and cousins Harriet Hurlbut of Napa, CA; Bill Riley of Upland, CA and Maxine Jones of Phoenix, AZ . Fay made good friends along the many roads and highways he traveled, especially Harv Reynolds and Brad Reis and it must be noted that Harv has custody of Fay’s favorite truck “Ole’ Brownie” which is still making a living on the roads and fields of Beaverhead County, along with “Ole’ Red” which is can be found hauling spuds for Cottom’s. In addition, Fay will be greatly missed by his cocker spaniel friend, Coulter, who met “his dad” in the hospital and who accompanied him there the many times Fay was re-hospitalized over the next two years. Coulter gave solace at the nursing home and finally stayed on dad’s bed at home directing the hospice caregivers in their job. At the last Coulter cuddled next to “his dad” keeping company to the last moment. At Fay’s request there will no services. His ashes will be scattered, per his wishes, in the Centennial Valley. Services are under the direction of Wood Funeral Home of Idaho Falls. Update: The family has planned combined memorial services for Fay, Barbara, and Louise Riley at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, August 8, 2009, in Rose Hill Cemetery in Idaho Falls. Memorial contributions in F.C.’s name may be made to the Beaverhead County Hospice program, Barrett Hospital and Health Care, Dillon Garden Club, or a charity of the donor’s choice. --------------------------------------------- Condolences received online: Jay Hanson tetonjay@tetontel.com My wife and I, along with our family, express our condolences to Fay's family. You likely do not remember me . . . I am the youngest child of Bill and Rhoda Hanson. Bill (William L.) was a brother of Fay's mother, Ella. I believe I am the youngest of Fay's Hanson/Hansen first cousins. Again, you have our sympathies, Jay Hanson Dave and BJ Lundwall daveandbj@live.com So sorry to hear of Fay's passing. Fay hauled cattle with Cal many years and were great friends. Cal passed away a little over two months ago, so we bet Fay and Cal are up there swapping trucking stories. Take care and God bless, Dave and BJ Lundwall Butte, Montana Reverend Kent A. Gordon gordons@ttc-cmc.net From: Reverend Kent A. Gordon 903 S. 6th Street East Malta, Mt 59538 Craig, I just read about the loss of your dad. May God bless you, Mike and your families with many precious memories of your dad. I am writing this on Christmas morning. In my condolences, I wish to relay from my own experience that loved ones who die during the holidays just make our memories more precious. I have thought about you guys over the years. Remember the time I spend most of the summer at your house? I always enjoyed your mom and dad. Life itself just moves along too fast Send me an email and I will ketch you up on what life has been like for the past 40 years. May God bless you and your loved one's with the comfort that we have received from God's loving hands. May God bless you and keep you. Kent and Sue Gordon