Nellie Riley, age 98, passed away on May 23, 2025 at Maggie’s Place in Grimes, Iowa. A visitation will be held on June 4, 2025 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary in West Des Moines, Iowa. The funeral for Nellie will be held on June 5, 2025 at 11:00 am at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary. Interment will follow the service at 12:30 pm at Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Adel, Iowa. Following the burial, a luncheon will be held at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel & Mortuary in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Nellie (Nell) Leydens Riley was born on July 30, 1926, to Conrad and Elizabeth Leydens. She graduated from Newton High School in 1945. She married Robert Riley on September 30, 1945, at the Methodist Church in Newton, Iowa. They lived in California until Robert was discharged from the United States Navy in 1945. Nell and Robert moved back to Newton, where they had their daughter, Carolyn.
After Nellie’s retirement from The Thombert Company, Nellie and Robert moved to Mesa, Arizona in 1986. In 2013, she moved back to the Des Moines area to be closer to her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren, and remained there until her passing.
During her later years, Nellie loved to talk to people and spend time with her friends and family. She liked to play pickleball and tennis, play cards, and paint ceramics. Nell also enjoyed traveling.
Nellie is survived by her daughter, Carolyn (Len) Ferrigno; her brother, Frank (Peggy) Leydens from Colorado; grandchildren, Andrea Ferrigno, Tony Ferrigno; great-grandchild, Lily Criswell; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; her parents; siblings, Ruth Hulse, Nick Leydens, Clarence Leydens, Matt Leydens, Richard Leydens, John Leydens, and Lillian May.
