Jay Riaff 1913 - 2005

RIAFF, KOZBERG, MEAD

Posted By: Connie Swearingen -Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/18/2019 at 17:07:02

Sioux City Journal
2 February 2005

Jay Riaff, 91, of Tucson, Ariz., formerly of Sioux City, died Sunday, Jan. 20, 2005, at Desert Life Care Center in Tucson following a brief illness.

After cremation, burial was in Fort Rosecranz National Cemetery, San Diego, Calif.

Mr. Riaff was born Oct. 26, 1913, in Sioux City, to Leon and Libby (Kozberg) Riaff. He attended Sioux City schools through Central High School. He played trumpet, clarinet and saxophone with many of the big bands including Francis Craig and Red Nichols. He served in Patton's 3rd in the U.S. Army during World War II and was the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal.

After the war, he married Lorraine Mead. They moved to California, where he worked at Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica for 30 years. After retirement, they moved to Tucson, where he continued playing with jazz and Dixieland groups. Music was forever a major part of his life and he was still playing piano weekends until his final days.

Survivors include a daughter, Connie McKee of Hot Springs, Ark.; a son-in-law, LeMoyne Truesdell of Las Vegas, Nev.; a granddaughter, Julie Truesdell of Edgecomb, Maine; grandsons and spouses, Steve Obrekaitis of Louisville, Ky., Scott Obrekaitis of Jacksonville, Fla., Jim and Sharon Truesdell of Lorton, Va., and Jeff and Lisa Truesdell of Keller, Texas; three great-grandsons; a niece, June Clodius; and a nephew, Ron Riaff of St. Louis, Mo.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lorraine; two brothers, Mike and Sam Riaff; two daughters, Sharon D. Truesdell and Michaele Marler; a stepdaughter, Mary Lou Doane; a granddaughter, Shelley Howard; a grandson, Chris Obrekaitis; and a son-in-law, Edward McKee.