Neal passed away on February 22, 2019, at Gallatin Rest Home. He was born March 19, 1934, to Samuel and Ollie Mae Riley in Little Rock, Arkansas.
He and his family lived in Arkansas, California, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Kalispell and Missoula, Montana for short periods of time. They eventually moved to Livingston, Montana where he finished high school in 1952 and met his first wife, Joanne (Varns) Riley.
He attended the Montana School of the Mines (Butte) for a short time before moving to Bozeman and marrying Joanne in September of 1953. Their daughter, Susan, was born in Bozeman in 1955. Neal graduated from Montana College in Bozeman in 1957 and began teaching Math at Park High in Livingston, where their son, Michael, was born in 1959. They also lived in Stanford, Montana where he taught Math in the high school before moving to California. They lived in Fullerton, California until 1973 when they returned to Bozeman. Neal worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in California and for a brief time in Montana before going to work for Northwestern National Life Insurance. Neal became disabled due to health reasons in 1985.
In 1996, his wife Joanne died. He enjoyed many winters in Parker, Arizona and continued to do so after he married Marla Connelley McGuire in 2001 (whom he also met in high school).
Neal was preceded in death by wife, Joanne Riley; parents, Sam and Ollie Mae Riley; his brothers, Gene and James; and sister, Ernie Mitcham.
He is survived by his wife, Marla, of Bozeman; his daughter, Sue (Tim) Browning of Gallatin Gateway, MT, their children, Lisa (Paul) Jarvis (children, Olivia and Zoey) of Gallatin Gateway, and Sarah (Mark) Van Dyke (children, Kaara, Declan, and Forrest) of Manhattan, MT; his son, Mike (Jean), and their son, John Riley (fiancé, Jean Saye) of Helena, MT; his extended family, Becky (Alan) Henry and their children, Gordon McGuire and his children, and Heidi (Gary) Nieboer of Salt Lake City, UT.
Neal was a very special grandpa to all his grandchildren, and he enjoyed them very much.
A huge thank you to the wonderful staff at Gallatin Rest Home; they made his final days comfortable and bearable.
Condolences can be made at www.dokkennelson.com or mailed to 12145 Gooch Hill Rd. Gallatin Gateway, MT 59730.
Because Neal loved dogs so much, contributions can be made in his name to any organization that benefits dogs.
No service will be held, per his request. A graveside service will be held in Livingston for family and friends at a later date.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service.
