David M. Riley

With heavy hearts, we announce the death of David M. Riley, after a long battle with Early onset Alzheimer’s disease. David was born on March 29, 1961, in Fort Kent, Maine, and died at 2:30pm on January 1, 2025, in Tucson, Arizona. Mirroring the way he lived his life, he passed away at the side of his wife and high school sweetheart, Ramona. 

David attended elementary school in Hiram, Maine, and high school at Sacopee Valley High School in Hiram, Maine. Throughout his school years David played soccer, was on the weightlifting team, and won many track and field ribbons. What’s truly remarkable about this is that David was born with a congenital foot deformity and wore braces on both of his feet and legs until he was six years old! The way he fought to be active and build his strength, even when wearing his braces as a child, highlights his determination and perseverance.

David and Ramona met in high school and went on their first date on April Fool's Day in 1978. David will be remembered for being affectionate and loving with Ramona. What may be less widely known is that David sent Ramona many letters, cards, and love notes throughout their nearly 50 years together. It is truly a gift to have such a tangible reminder of David to share and remember together.

David enjoyed being active throughout his life, enjoying fishing, canoeing, camping, and working on the farm in Maine. David continued these traditions by teaching his children to fish, and they, too, carry fond memories of fishing in lakes and ponds in Maine in the big, green, family canoe. David also loved animals. One of his animal friends included Stubby, a headstrong calf on the family farm that grew into a playful bull that always sought out David’s company. David’s family happily recalls that Stubby would wake David up in the morning by licking the screen outside his window! And we will forever be proud of David’s skill with carpentry and woodworking, which was his primary profession outside of the small family farm, and his main career after David, Ramona, and their children left the farm and moved from Maine to Arizona.

Family was always important to David, and there was never a lack of family around him growing up in Maine and along the East Coast. David was proud of each of the branches of his blended family tree. Gathering together is something that brought him great joy.

David also loved learning and was very intelligent and reflective. He was an avid reader of all things Stephen Hawking and science fiction, and he loved classical music. He was Ramona’s country and ballroom dancing partner in many a dance and competition, and he enjoyed gardening and canning the harvest. David also enjoyed connecting with ancestors through genealogy work and developing his spirituality. 

David valued his deeply held spiritual beliefs and was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Throughout his life, he was committed to showing Christ-like love through serving others. When David bore testimony of his faith, his passion and sincerity were palpable and allowed a glimpse into his tender heart.

Some people might be aware that he got knocked down a few times, but we’ll always remember that he kept getting up again. While Alzheimer’s may have changed David in ways that challenged those closest to him, we will always remember his love of learning and his intellect, his creativity, his service, his excellent (and sometimes questionable) sense of humor, his big dreams, his love for his family, his devotion to Ramona, his tender heart, and his embodiment of kindness, bravery, strength, loyalty, and faithfulness. 

David grew up raising his family with Ramona, and though he naturally needed time to grow into the person he became, he proved in the end a steadiness and unwavering commitment to his family – and this will be his legacy in the hearts of all who knew him best.

David is survived by his wife, Ramona of Tucson, Arizona; his daughter, Shanna Simmons (and son-in-law, Jay Simmons) of Anchorage, Alaska; his son, Brenton Riley (and daughter-in-law, Sarah Clowers) of Tucson, Arizona; his father, Robert Riley and his bonus mother, Bj Riley of Lecanto, Florida; his siblings: Susan Riley of Amado, Arizona, Terri Riley (and her wife, Susan Roberts Riley) of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Patti Riley Odone (and her husband, Aric Odone) of Bath, Maine, Sj Riley (and his wife, Cass Snyder) of Sherman Oaks, California, and Jason Riley of West Bath, Maine; his bonus father, William Fernald of Zephyr Hills, Florida, and his bonus siblings from the Fernald clan, Darryl, Moira, Sarah, Eileen, and Jacob; his bonus siblings from the Scribner/Grotton clan, Peter, Michael, Jennifer, Gretta, and Duska; and, although listed last, someone very dear to his heart, as having grandchildren was one of his greatest dreams, his granddaughter, Vivienne.

David is preceded in death by his mother, Frances M. Perreault; brother, Wayne Riley; brother, Kevin Riley; bonus mother, Sally Fernald; father-in-law, H. Manuel Stacey, mother-in-law, Joyce Stacey; brother-in-law, Wesley Stacey and sister-in-law, Sheryl Arbour; bonus brother, Malcolm Fernald, and his nephew, Matthew Riley, all of whom are much beloved, remembered, and missed by the Riley family. We can only imagine the joyous welcome David experienced after passing on from this life, with so many loved ones having gone before him!

We mourn his loss, and we also find relief in knowing he is no longer suffering, trapped, or in pain. 

His Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, March 29, 2025, in the cultural hall at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 105 N. Norton Avenue, Tucson, Arizona. This event will include an ice cream social, in honor of David’s favorite treat, and what would have been his 64th birthday!

In lieu of flowers, the Riley family asks you to instead consider donations to:

The Alzheimer’s Association

https://www.alz.org/