Edna Riley's Obituary
Edna Riley, age 104 , formerly of the Town of Lanark, died at the Portage County Health Care Center one day short of her 105th birthday on Saturday, October 29, 2011. Edna was born in Waushara County, October 30, 1906 to Otto and Agnes (Scharf) Oestrich. She lived her entire life in Portage and Waushara Counties. Edna married Tony Riley on May 27, 1937. Tony and Edna lived and farmed in the Town of Lanark all of their married life. Tony died on October 19, 1973. Edna was educated at the Normal School in Stevens Point, now UWSP, to be a country school teacher. She started teaching in 1926 in rural Portage County. She met her future husband, Tony, when he stopped at her rural school to sharpen his pencil when he was working as an assessor. In 1960, the Tomorrow River School consolidated the country schools and Edna moved to the new elementary school in Amherst and taught 6th grade until her retirement in 1972. After her retirement she was a substitute teacher for several years and then a volunteer until 1996. Edna's love of children and her Catholic Faith lead to her being the Religious Education Coordinator at St. Patrick's Parish in the Town of Lanark for several years. Edna is survived by her children, Mary Manetta Helbach, Stevens Point; Nedra Christensen, Waupaca; Dean Riley, Waupaca; Richard Riley, Eastman, GA and Sharon (Gerald) Kurzynski, Amherst, 30 grandchildren, 60 great grandchildren, several great-great grandchildren and many nieces & nephews. In April of 2011, her first great-great-great grandchild was born. Edna was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Tony, a son, Ronald, five sisters - Lottie Spear, Elsie Tozier, Lydia Hauden, Flora Abrahamson, Esther Shupp, a brother, Reverdon Oestrich and nieces and nephews. The Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 10:30 AM at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church, State Hwy 54 & Corrigan Road, Town of Buena Vista with Edna's grandson, Father James Kurzynski, officiating along with Father Dan Farley. Visitation will be at the Jungers-Holly Funeral Home in Amherst on Wednesday evening from 4 - 8 PM with a Prayer Service at 7 PM. Burial will be in St. Patrick's Cemetery, Town of Lanark, next to her husband, Tony. The family would like to give a tremendous Special Thank You to the caring staff of the Portage County Health Care Center, Ministry Home Care Hospice services, and the great doctors and health care staff at St. Michael's Hospital. You were Edna's home away from home and her extended family. You are the angels that Edna loved so much.
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