Kathy Riley, 90, of North Bend, WA, the cherished matriarch of the ever-expanding Riley family, passed away peacefully, with family by her side, on February 27th, 2025.
Kathy was a long-standing resident of the Snoqualmie Valley. Together with her husband Sam of 65-years, they proudly raised their family on Maloney Grove and established their company, Riley & Sons Drywall.
Kathy is preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Helen Zwickel, husband Sam, son Samuel Ross Riley Jr., son-in-law Chuck Jayne, and two siblings Frederick Zwickel and Paul Knapp. Throughout her life, she was surrounded in everlasting love by her husband Sam and their nine children: Mark Riley, Scott (Cindy) Riley, Darryl (Donna) Riley, Shannon (Chuck) Jayne, Traci Riley, Kevin (Lisa Rae) Riley, Todd (Shelley) Riley, Eric (Shari) Riley, Lisa (Casey) Riley, as well as twenty-five grandchildren and twenty-six great-grandchildren.
In 1952, shortly after graduating from Issaquah High School, Kathy married her beloved Sam, embarking on a journey of love and partnership that shaped her life. Together, they raised a remarkable family of nine children, six sons and three daughters. Kathy took immense pride in being a Kindergarten room mother for each of her children from 1958 to 1970.
Kathy and Sam shared a passion for travel, with memorable trips to Mexico, Hawaii, and Caribbean cruises. However, the summers spent at Lake Chelan remain most cherished. For 17 consecutive summers, Kathy packed up the family camper, often with extra friends in tow, and created unforgettable memories by the lake.
Kathy was caring, loving, and kind. She showed her family how much she loved them through consistency, a listening ear, and her baked goods. Whether baking cinnamon rolls for family Christmas or preparing cinnamon bread and chocolate chip cookies for sporting events, Kathy showed her love by baking it into each sweet treat she prepared. She and Sam were huge fans of our beloved Wildcat Nation, attending games, whether their grandchild was on the team that year or not. She enjoyed hosting coffee Fridays for dear friends. Kathy was a compassionate listener and always seemed to have the right words to help in a tough time.
In addition to baking, Kathy showed her love with handmade gifts. She loved to sew, crochet, cross-stitch, and quilt. She spent months in her sewing room prior to each Christmas, ensuring every daughter and granddaughter would have something handmade to take home. Kathy was passionate about genealogy and spent the last fifty years working on the Riley Family Tree. Thanks to her life’s work, the Riley lineage is traced back to the early 1400s and exceeds 82,000 family members.
Kathy’s legacy lives on through her family, cherished traditions, and the love she poured into everything she did. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.
Mom and Dad, together forever, will be laid to rest at Cedar Lawns Memorial Park in Redmond, WA in a private graveside service on Wednesday, March 5th.
Friends are invited to join the Riley Family for a Celebration of Life on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Snoqualmie Valley Alliance Church, 36017 SE Fish Hatchery Road, Fall City, WA 98024.
You’re invited to share a personal message or fond memory with the Riley Family at: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries
IN LOVING MEMORY
Katherine Jean Riley
January 28th, 1935 – February 27th, 2025
