Orval Ray Riffe

Orval Ray Riffe, 87, husband, father, grandfather, great- grandfather, friend to all, and loved by all, went home to be with his Heavenly Father on Friday.
He was the son of the late Duffy Alderson Riffe and Beatrice Stephens Riffe. A native of Crab Orchard, West Virginia, Orval was educated at Crab Orchard Grade School and Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley, West Virginia, where he graduated in 1940. During World War II, he served in the US Navy in the Pacific theater for three years. He was discharged December 11, 1945 and entered Marshall College (now Marshall University) and graduated in 1951 with a degree in Civil Engineering. After graduation from college, he worked in Columbus, OH working to design and build an airport. After returning to West Virginia, he worked for Faye, Spottford and Thorndike Engineers designing the original West Virginia Turnpike. When the Turnpike was finished in 1955, he deigned the roads for Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, while waiting to move to North Carolina.
In 1953 he married Norma Jean Allen, his wife of 57 years. They moved to North Carolina in May of 1955 where He served as a Design Engineer and Project Engineer for North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). Retiring in 1984 from NCDOT, he went to work for Thompson, Gordon and Shook Engineering. He retired there in 1987 but continued to work part time until 1989. Upon retiring, he and his wife enjoyed traveling to Hawaii, Alaska, South America, Canada, Mexico, the Western US and many Caribbean Islands.
He served his church, Mount Moriah, as Church Treasurer for 22 years and also as a deacon for many years. He was a member of William G. Hill Masonic Lodge for 50 years.
He is survived by his wife, Norman Allen Riffe; son, Gregory Allen Riffe and wife, Shari of Harrisburg, NC; daughter, LuAnn Riffe Lenz and husband, Brian of Raleigh, NC; brothers, Tracy and wife, Jane of Beckley, WV, Ellis and wife, Alice of Crab Orchard, WV; sisters, Alice Faye Riffe of Crab Orchard, WV and Frances Riffe Dickerson and husband, Ray of Beckley, WV; six grandchildren, Emily Caroline Riffe, David Brian Lenz, Adam Lee Lenz, Ryan Holzmeyer, Adam Holzmeyer, Jennifer Holzmeyer Louthan and husband, Michael; and great grandson, Noah Louthan.
He was predeceased by a sister, Hester Riffe.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 Noon Monday at Mount Moriah Baptist Church. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends Sunday, 4:00–6:00 pm at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, 1200 Benson Road, Garner, NC.
Flowers are appreciated or memorial donations may be made to the Mount Moriah Lighthouse Vision Fund (Building Fund) 3000 E. Garner, Road, Raleigh, NC 27610.
Condolences may be made at www.bryan-leefuneralhome.com