Mary Elizabeth Riley was born November 20, 1938, in Lincoln, NE, to William T. and Ursula (File) Riley. She graduated from Lincoln High and earned a business degree from UNO in 1984. Mary was passionate about helping people. She worked as a camp director, a social services worker, an intake supervisor for Health and Human Services, and as a mediator. She is survived by her wife, Cheryl Arends, her brother, Joseph (Mary Ann) Riley, her niece, Sheryl (Patty) Schrepf, her niece, Loretta (Ed) McCullom, her sisters-in-law, Cynthia (Alan) Purucker, Donell (James) Watkins, innumerable beloved nieces and nephews, and countless friends who were also like family.
Her Celebration of Life service will be at MCC-Omaha, 819 S. 22 St. at 10:30 am on January 19, 2019. In lieu of flowers memorials to Metropolitan Community Church of Omaha or The Nebraska Humane Society.