Jean Riley

Services are scheduled for 10 am Friday, September 13th at First Methodist Church for Jean Denise Riley of Artesia, New Mexico.

Mrs. Riley, 74, died on September 8, 2024 at her home.

Monty Leavell will officiate at the services. Cremation will take place following the services. Visitation will be from 2 to 6 pm on Thursday at Terpening & Son Mortuary.

Jean was born on November 22, 1949 in San Antonio, Texas; the daughter of Monroe Kirchoff and Bessie Young Kirchoff. She was married to Denis Riley on September 15, 1973 in San Antonio. They came to Artesia in 1979 to help on the family farm.

Jean was a Methodist Minister for many years serving in many different churches including Clark Memorial Methodist Church in Artesia and Hope United Methodist Church in Hope, N.M. She was also a leader in the Methodist Youth Fellowship, helped with Boy Scouts, had taken two trips to Israel and visited a Methodist Mission site in Congo. She also loved doing ceramics having a large dedicated space to spend time working from the the molds to the final product.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister Darleen Cobb.

Survivors include her husband Denis Riley; a son Daniel Riley; a daughter Danaeh Riley; and grandchildren Connor Simmons, Kira Riley, Beatrice Riley, and Omar Riley-Chavez.