Dottie S Riley

On February 10, 2026, Jesus took our beloved Dottie to her forever heavenly home. Dottie was born on March 23, 1936, in Bainbridge, Georgia to her parents, Louie and Esther Salter. She was preceded in death by her parents, as well as her sisters Bonnie, Nell, Sue and Irene, and brothers Riley and Houston. She was also preceded in death by her husband Dave Merrell, husband Harold Riley, and son Randall Riley. She is survived by her son Mark Merrell, her sister Lynda Wilson as well as Rick and wife Leeann Riley, daughter-in-law Monique Riley Mathias and husband Matt, Jana Riley, Ray and wife Jenny Riley, her grandchildren Alyca and husband Greg Garrison, Allyson Riley, Macy Landes and husband Caleb, Lee Riley and wife Caitlin, Austyn Riley, Christopher Riley and wife Savannah, Rhett Riley and her great grandchildren Scottie, Elena Rose, Joshua, Nathan, Graham, and London. Dottie had great love for all her family, nieces and nephews, as well as the many special friends in her life.

After marrying an Air Force pilot, Dottie moved around the world for many years while raising her young son, Mark. After multiple stops around the globe, Dottie ended up in Austin, Texas where she worked her way up in the banking industry. She started as a bank teller and eventually achieved a Vice President role. In 1991, Dottie married the love of her life, Harold E. Riley. She worked alongside Harold, Rick, Randall, and Ray building Citizens, Inc., an NYSE listed company and sharing in many years of significant growth and global expansion. Harold and Dottie diligently served Citizens as a corporate leadership team until Harold's death in 2017.

Dottie was an amazing woman with many philanthropic goals. She helped her local community food banks, her church and neighbors, and underprivileged children around the world. One of her most proud accomplishments was the work she did collaborating with Heart Gift and Samaritan's Purse bringing children with life-threatening heart defects out of third-world nations into Austin for life-saving surgeries and medical care. She loved the entire endeavor, from meeting the children and their families at the Austin airport, taking them shopping, and caring for their many needs over several weeks until they returned to their home countries to live out a healthy and fruitful life.

Dottie was a proud member of Hyde Park Church and active in the Adult 3 Sunday School class. Along with a dozen or more faithful church members, she shared in being known as the "Joy Group" by fellow church members and Hyde Park leaders. This group of women labored selflessly to enhance numerous aspects of Hyde Park Church and School operations.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Hyde Park Foundation, 3901 Speedway, Austin TX 78751 wherein Dottie faithfully served over the years as an Officer and Trustee.