Nellie Louise Nichols Riley

September 24, 1930 - February 1, 2016

A Celebration of Life Service will be held for Nellie Nichols Riley, 85, at 11 o’clock Thursday, February 4, 2016 at Bethany United Methodist Church, 363 Bethany Road, Saluda, SC. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends and relatives on Wednesday evening, February 3, 2016 at her home from 6:30 until 8:00 p.m. and one hour before the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Bethany UM Church, c/o Clara Riley, 242 Bethany Road, Saluda, SC 29138, Boys Farm, PO Box 713, Newberry, SC 29108, Harvest Hope, 2220 Shop Road, Columbia, SC 29201 or to a charity of one’s choice. Nellie Louise Nichols Riley resigned all her earthly commitments to meet her maker and be reunited in Glory with her soul mate, Frazier, very early Monday morning on February 1, 2016 at Palmetto Richland Heart Hospital, Columbia, SC. She was the youngest daughter of the late Bennie Calhoun and Nina Lee Black Nichols, born on September 24, 1930 in Saluda County. Nellie was a graduate of Hollywood High School and Winthrop College. She was an All State Guard for the 1946 - 47 State Basketball Championship Team. She was a faithful member of Bethany UM Church and served in many leadership roles in her congregation. She was a lifelong friend and business partner to her late and beloved husband, Frazier Duffie Riley, Sr. for 59 years. Nellie was a behind the scene partner in helping and guiding the family businesses and her children to their successes. Together they started Riley Farms, LLC and F.D. Riley Construction. She was awarded the Saluda County Farm Bureau Distinguished Service Award in 2003 (shared with her husband) and the SC Master Homemaker Guild Award in 1979. Her family was chosen by Clemson University as The Progressive Farmer’s Master Farm Family Award in 1980 - 81. Nellie will be remembered for her delicious pecan pies, pound cakes, her green thumb and frugalness and as the community hairdresser. Her conversations were ‘matter of fact’ and to the point, usually imparting no false praise. Those who truly knew her saw her for her sincerity, unconditional tenderness and concern. She developed a caregiver’s heart and hand by helping to care for her mother and father, her mother in law, a close family friend, Mary Annie Berry and her beloved husband, Frazier. She is survived by her children, Joel Clinton Riley, III (Jean); Ralph Nichols Riley, Sr. (Sheree); Frazier Duffie (Buck) Riley, Jr. (Beverly); Amy Gray Riley Price (Ansel); Nina Louise Riley Nordin (Jeffrey), all of Saluda. She was the proud grandmother to Heather Shealy (Paul), Heidi Cochran (Jarrett), Holly Shealy (Thomas), Courtney Brooks, (Tim) and Clint, Clay, Nick (Virginia), Zack (Kayla), Marinelle, Austin, MacKenzie and Grey Riley, Creighton Price, Lauren and Riley Nordin and a great grandmother to Connor, Braydon, Trisleigh Shealy, Nolan, Easton, Cannon and Brogan Cochran, Tucker, Lily Parker and Sullivan Brooks, Hayes and Ellery Shealy. She is survived by sister, Matilda Freeland, sister in law, Kay Riley Waites (Frank), sister in law, Trudy Nichols, step brother in laws, Donnie (Jennifer) and Ronnie (Lavinia) Hipp, step sisters, Norvis Werts and Peggy Garrett, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by sisters, Annie Rose Nichols, Georgia Fae Leverette and Mamie Lee Longshore and brothers Tillman, Roy, Wilson, Guy, Paul, Gilbert, Joseph, Grady and Jake Nichols. To honor her strong character and faith, her grandsons will be pallbearers. Her home church's pianist, her nephew and son in law will serve as musicians for her service. The family is grateful to their community of family and friends for their many acts of kindness shown to their mother during these last years of her life and given by her most recent caregivers, Ann Griffin, Andrea Williams, Albertha Harp and Kimberly Hendrix. “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die!”