Alice Riley

1943 - 2025

Alice Ranae Bates Riley, cherished mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt, left her earthly home on August 26, 2025, in Albuquerque, NM. She was born October 16, 1943, the first child of Irvin Theodore and Ruth Geraldine Nelson Bates in Rexburg, Idaho. Irvin was killed shortly before the birth of her sister Geraldine while in Okinawa, Japan during World War II in 1945. This was a formative event in Alice's life, but while she experienced tragedy early, it brought her a rich childhood on a small Idaho farm with her mother, sister, stepfather Harold Nedrow, and soon four more siblings whom she cherished: Linda, Kerry, Paul, and Alan. Together they shared a youth of rich family stories, stretches snowed in by blizzards, typical farm chores, and the amazing smell of homemade bread.

After high school, she received an associate's degree in clothing and textiles from Rick's College (now BYU Idaho) and later continued her studies at Brigham Young University. She met her husband-to-be Robert Riley shortly after leaving BYU. Bob and Alice were married November 25, 1966. They shared 48 years, 2 children, and 3 grandchildren together before his passing in 2015, living in Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Arkansas, and finally settling in New Mexico to be near to their children and grandchildren. They had a garden everywhere they lived, always enjoying the fruits of their labor: fresh, frozen, or canned. Most plentiful were the strawberries and raspberries in Idaho, supplying many friends and family with amazing jam, and zucchini for anyone off the street who would accept one or hopefully more than one. Alice had a special gift for sewing and creating clothing and household items. She was married in a beautiful, stylish dress she made herself. Alice also made her daughter's wedding gown, even after dislocating her elbow cross-country skiing just a few weeks earlier. Once, she even made jerseys for an entire elementary school basketball team. Everyone in her life was blessed with quilts, quillows, hand-sewn clothing, or other special items that easily rivaled high-end retail.

Alice was fiercely independent, working as both a bank teller and as a postal clerk, long before working moms were normal in the workplace. However, paired with this modern spirit was a woman who deeply cherished family. Her kids, grandsons, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews were often on her mind-she always knew of favorite colors, special interests, seeking out that next special project or gift for each. She was immensely proud of them all. It goes without saying the joy her grandsons brought to their grandma. Those boys brought out her sharp wit, her sense of humor, and a hidden spirit of adventure.

Alice was preceded in death by her husband Robert, her father Irvin, her mother Ruth, her stepfather Harold Nedrow, an infant sister, Teresa, her sister Geraldine, and a nephew, Derek. She is survived by her son, Daniel Riley of Hernandez, NM; her daughter, Leslie (Robert) Geyer, of White Rock, NM; grandson Cory (Natasha) Geyer, of Kodiak, AK; grandsons Brian and Alex Geyer, also of White Rock, NM; and great-grandchildren Kai and Harper Pearce. She is also survived by her siblings Linda (Neil) Sheldon of Ashton, ID; Kerry (Mary) Nedrow, of Springerville, AZ; Paul Nedrow, of Jemez Springs, NM; and Alan (Becky) Nedrow of Ashton, ID, as well as sister-in-law Mollie Jane Harty, brother-in-law Carroll Douglas (Reba) Riley, and numerous nieces, nephews, and a vast, treasured extended family.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Project Linus (https://www.projectlinus.org/), The Quilts of Valor Foundation (https://qovf.org ), or your local library.

A memorial service will be held in Ashton, Idaho, at a date to be determined. To honor Alice, please hug those you love, and treasure those handmade heirlooms you may have stored in the closet and forgotten.