Robert Riley

Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend, Robert Williams Riley, died of cancer on October 16, 2021.  He was surrounded by his wife, children and many loved ones.

Robert was born on October 8, 1940, in Bountiful Utah. His parents were Samuel Lloyd and Claudine Ellen Williams Riley. He had three older siblings: Richard, Joan, and Karen, and one younger brother, Ron. The family lived in Bountiful, Utah where his father served as a Utah senator and Mayor of Bountiful.

Robert attended Stoker Elementary School, followed by South Davis Junior High School. He then attended Bountiful High School and was selected to attend Utah Boys State to represent the school. He played football and baseball. After graduation, he attended the University of Utah, until he was called to serve a full-time proselyting mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Northwestern States Mission, headquartered in Portland, Oregon. During his mission he had the opportunity to serve as second counselor to President Don C. Wood of the Northwestern States Mission Presidency.

Robert served in the Utah National Guard and then the Air Force Reserves as a medic stationed at March Air Force base from September 1965 – September 1971.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Univeristy of California at Long Beach on January 30, 1970.

He married the girl of his dreams, Kathryn Gale, on October 11, 1963, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Together they had seven children. Robert and Kathryn were married for thirty years, living in Inglewood, California, Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and Claremont, California. Kathryn died of cancer on February 15, 1994.

Robert married the wonderful Linda Marie Boehmer on June 17, 1995. Linda had eight grown children who Robert happily embraced as son and daughters. They resided for a time in Claremont, California, before moving to Santaquin, Utah. Together Linda and Robert served a Utah Provo Missionary Training Center mission in 2010. Linda died after various health problems on October 21, 2018.

Robert married Irene Daisy Smith Koontz on July 11, 2020, and she took care of him in his failing health during his final days.

Robert owned his own State Farm Insurance Agency in Upland, California, where he received many awards and recognitions. He was an avid fisherman, and loved collecting model cars. He also enjoyed watching BYU Football games, which was one of his favorite pasttimes, and one of his final requests. Above all, Robert loved his family. Spending time with his children and grandchildren was the most important thing in his life.

Robert is survived by his wife, Irene Koontz, and his seven children from his marriage to Kathryn Gale: Kristyn Crow (Steven), Michele Fogg (Mike), Robert Jr. (Tiffany), Janelle Fruge (Court), Michael (Teresa), John-David (Jodi), and Jason (Amy). He is also survived by his eight stepchildren from his marriage to Linda Boehmer: Michelle Ellis (Derek), Stephanie Mower (Mike), Tricia Sorensen, Jeremy Poulsen (Melanie), Jessica Hermeneau (Shawn), Andraea Carrera (Joel), Samantha Riley (Chard), and Shaina Riley. Robert has 57 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren, with his eighth great-grandchild due in March 2022.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday October 23, 2021 at the Santaquin East Stake Center, 548 South 400 East. A viewing for family and friends will be Friday October 22nd from 7:00 - 8:00 pm at Brown Family Mortuary, 66 South 300 East Santaquin and Saturday from 9:30 - 10:45 at the church prior to services. Interment will take place November 6, 2021 at the Oak Park Cemetery in Claremont California.

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