Genevieve Riley

Published 4:06 pm Friday, February 17, 2023

Genevieve Riley

Feb. 6, 1921–Feb. 16, 2023

Genevieve Riley, age 102, of Ironton, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in Wheelersburg.

She was born Feb. 6, 1921, to the late Aloysius and Ester Adams Zwilling.

She was the widow of James Riley.

She was the oldest member of the Ironton Catholic Community. She was very active in her church and parochial school over the years, belonging to the Legion of Mary and the Catholic Women’s Club, and when her children were small, she was the president of the St. Lawrence PTA.

Jenny could often be seen attending daily mass for years at St. Lawrence and St. Joe’s.

Jenny and her husband were an integral part of donating and developing Our Lady of Fatima Shrine.

Other interests included training horses, gardening club and bar association bridge club. Her most important things in life were her Catholic faith, her 73-year-long marriage to her husband, James C. Riley; her son, Fr. William; and daughter, Patricia, and her many grandchildren and great grandchildren; as well as her very good friends, Fr. Shán O’Cuív and Caitríona Ní Cuív, from Dublin, Ireland.

She is survived by grandchildren, Susan Johnson (John) Brewer, Amy (Scott) Grow, Steven (Kelly) Johnson, Heather-Meyers (Doug) Gentile, Nicholee Lawhorn (Danny Garris), Tom Johnson and Michael (Rachel) Johnson; great-grandchildren Dylan (Abby Maxey) Lawhorn, Austin, Chaz and Alex, Meyers, Callum Gentile, Sebastian and Makinzie Grow, Paige Blain, Carson Johnson, Johnny Brewer and Tobias Johnson; great-great grandchildren Sadie, Pasilee and Barrett; and one sister-in-law, Patricia Zwilling.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Patricia Johnson; son, Fr. William Riley; brothers, Donald and Bernard Zwilling and great-grandson Steven Johnson.

Funeral will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 2:30 p.m. Monday, with Fr. Ward officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Pine Grove Cemetery.

O’Keefe Baker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.