H. Roger RILEY

RILEY, DAISLEY, MINOR, WHEELER, CROUCH, ERICKSON, PETERSON, SMELTZER, MOLITERNO

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/2/2012 at 16:31:13

June 29, 1927 --- February 26, 2012

H. Roger Riley, 84, of Des Moines, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 25, 2012 at the Ramsey Village. Roger was born in Eagle Grove, attended Buena Vista College on a baseball scholarship and served in the Navy during World War II. He lived for a time in Milwaukee and spent most of his life in Des Moines where he enjoyed family, friends, tennis, and the dental supply business. Roger always considered his dental sales career to be one of "visiting with his friends" - he said that was the hardest part of retiring from the Iowa Dental Supply Company. He was involved as a hospital dad with the Shrine, many dental study clubs and the American Legion. He was also an Avid Iowa Hawkeye fan.

He will be greatly missed by his wife, Jane Daisley, who partnered with him through many eventful years in Des Moines and Sun City, Arizona. Roger is also survived by his son, Rick (Karen) of West Des Moines; his daughter, Nancy Minor (Tom) of Johnston; daughter Sue Wheeler Crouch of Edina, Minnesota, daughter, Wendy Wheeler Erickson (David) of Overland Park, Kansas, son, Chuck Wheeler (Tracy) of Des Moines and daughter, Jane Wheeler Peterson (Pete) of Urbandale. He'll be missed by his grandchildren, Travis (Holly) Riley, Cooper (Lindsey) Riley, Jeremy Minor, Ellie Minor, Jessica Smeltzer (fiancée Rick Moliterno), Joe Smeltzer, Dr. Elizabeth Erickson, Anne Erickson, Charlie Wheeler, Kathryn Wheeler, Samuel Wheeler, and David Wheeler. He also had one great-grandson, Tristan Riley.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, February 29 at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral at 1 p.m. in downtown Des Moines. The family will greet friends at Christopher's Restaurant in Beaverdale following the service from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Animal Rescue League or the Central Iowa Tennis Alliance Youth Program (in care of B. Bruning, 27836 Meadowview Lane Adel, IA 50003. At Roger's request, his body was donated to the University of Iowa.

Des Moines Register - Iowa
February 29, 2012