Virgil Wayne Riley

Funeral services for Mr. Virgil Wayne Riley, 77, of Gilmer, Texas will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, July 15, 2017 at First Baptist Church in Gilmer with Bro. Marion Palmer officiating under the direction of Croley Funeral Home-Gilmer. The family will receive friends on Saturday, July 15, 2017 at the church from 1:00 P.M. until service time. Burial will follow at Old East Mountain Cemetery in Upshur County.

Mr. Riley was born on December 7, 1939 in Liberty, Texas and passed away on July 11, 2017 in Tyler, Texas. He was predeceased by his grandmother and grandfather Sweezy; grandma and grandpa, Riley; mother Flora Dee Riley; father, Pete Riley; sister and her husband, Penny and Deward Biscamp; mamaw and pappy Tauch (Glenda’s parents); special brothers-in-law, Mack and Rubin Richardson; endeared sisters-in-law, Joan, Pat and Helen Richardson and Katherine Leigh and her husband Red.

Virgil Wayne Riley was a real life missionary for NAMB in many branches of service, mission trips-Love Inc. Love in the Name of Christ, Committees for His Church and Food Pantry. “Some called him a gentle giant quite but mighty. Lately he has served as co-director for operation Christmas Child Samaritan Purse in Upshur County. One of his greatest loves was serving at Mission Centers Houston as a house dad to many college student missionaries. The Riley’s served every June and July for 14 years until his health prevented them serving. He was a member of the open class of First Baptist Church in Adult V. Mission trips to Mexico were a special joy to his life. Virgil served as a Royal Ambassador leader (RA’s) for 20 years. The Riley’s spent many weeks at conferences in Glorieta, N. Mexico and Ridgecrest, N. Carolina; as well as learning courses for Sunday school in Waco.

His workshop was his favorite place where he turned trash into treasures and repaired broken things to make them useful again. Virgil was often teased as the only older man in the church with a head full of black hair.

Mr. Riley is survived by his wife, Glenda Riley; brother, Kenneth Riley; brother, Gary Riley and his wife, Debbie; sister, Linda King and her husband, Jeff; son, Leslie Bryan and wife, Denise; sons James Bryan and his wife Cheryl. He loved spending special time with his grandchildren, Nicole and Alex Garvis, Michael and Alicia Bryan, Rebecca Bryan, Nicholas and Katie Bryan and Jayson Bryan and also his great grandchildren, Hope Butler Garvis, Alexa, Chase and Griffinn Bryan. Virgil is survived by many nieces, nephews and numerous close friends.