Jack Riley, 84, of Windsor, Colorado, passed away peacefully on his birthday, Nov. 22, 2016, with his family nearby.

Jack Myron Riley was born on Nov. 22, 1932, to Charles and Madeline (Coon) Riley in Shelton. He graduated from Shelton Public Schools in 1950, where he loved participating in football, basketball, track and baseball, after which, Jack received his Bachelor’s Degree in business and education from Kearney State College, where he was a member of the Phi Tau Gamma fraternity.

Jack was united in marriage to Virginia Joan Smith on Nov. 18, 1953, at the United Methodist Church in Kearney. Seven days later, Jack was deployed to the war in Korea, returning home in 1955, where he completed his education through the GI Bill.

They moved to Big Springs, where he was employed as a business teacher and principal at Big Springs High School. Some years later, Jack and Virginia returned to Shelton, where he worked alongside his father in the custom harvesting, trucking and livestock business. Jack would go on to spend 25 years affiliated with the DeKalb Seed Corn Company and their trucking business in Shelton.

In 1976, he joined First State Bank in Shelton as a shareholder and later became president, until he retired in 1997. Jack was a trusted businessman and mentor to many area farmers.

While in Shelton, he was a lifetime member of the United Methodist Church, a volunteer fireman, planning commission board, school board member, American Legion and was a member of the Kearney Elks Lodge.

Jack’s hobbies included hunting and fishing with his three boys, and spending weekends at their cabin on Johnson Lake, south of Lexington. He also enjoyed gardening, traveling in their motor home, camping and spending time with his family.

In 2010, they moved to Windsor, Colorado, where they enjoyed the Rocky Mountains that were part of their earlier travels.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Madeline Riley and father and mother-in-law, Ernest and Charlotte Smith.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia; their son, Kim (Jean), of North Platte, their daughters, Jessica (Craig) and their children, Madelyn and Caius, Jami (Chad) and their children, Olivia and Kingston, and daughter, Jordan; son, Kirk (Kris), of Cozad, their sons, Dirk (Lanay) and their child, Stone, Dillon (Elise) and their child, AC; daughter, Morgan (fiancé, Drew); son, Craig (Vickie) of Windsor, Colorado, his sons, Cody and Connor; his sister, Wilma Jean (Dick) Mayfield, of Shelton; and many nieces and nephews.

A private memorial service was at the home of Craig and Vickie Riley in Windsor on Nov. 25. Pastor Laura Schultz was honored to officiate the family service. A celebration of his life will be at Johnson Lake next summer.