Nina Riley

Nina Lee (Sorenson) Riley, 98, passed away on Monday, December 7, 2020 in Shoshone, Idaho.

Nina was born on October 4, 1922 in Boise, Idaho. She was the second of nine children and the daughter of Merlin and Eva (Wyler) Sorenson. Her family moved to the Cottonwoods (North of Richfield) when Nina was one year old. She attended the one-room school located near the family ranch until the eighth grade. Her family moved into town when Nina was a freshman. She graduated from Richfield High School in 1940. Nina attended the Albion State Normal School graduating with a certificate in education in 1942.

Nina married Donald “Cotton” Riley in 1944 in Elko, Nevada.They had two sons, Michael and Jack, and lived on the family farm north of Richfield. Nina started teaching at Richfield School and then spent the majority of her career teaching at the Gooding Elementary School until retirement. She also spent 21 summers with Cotton, herding cattle in the Sawtooths north of Fairfield for the Camas Cattle Association.

Nina was very family focused; she loved traveling with her sisters to different adventures as well as the annual camping trips to Cherry Creek and cross-country skiing trips in the Sawtooths. She loved to paint landscapes and read historical western books. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Nina is survived by her son, Jack (Carla) of Richfield; her sisters, LaRue Horting of Pocatello and Charlene Baxter of Hackett, Arkansas; grandson, Jake (Jenni) of Hailey, Idaho; and great granddaughters, Madison and Mackenzie Riley; step great-granddaughters, Miranda, Aly and Madison Smith; grandson, Jade (Brooke) of Ketchum, Idaho; and step great-granddaughters, Olivia and Eleanor Seidl. Nina was preceded in death by her son, Michael Riley; husband, Donald “Cotton” Riley; sisters, Pearl Patrick, Mary King, Mead Flavel and Janet Miller; and brothers, Bruce Sorenson and Bob Sorenson.

A graveside service will be held at 2:00 pm, Friday, December 11, 2020 at the Richfield Cemetery, Richfield, Idaho.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Richfield Senior Center, PO Box 193, Richfield, ID 83349.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Nina’s memorial webpage at www.farnsworthmortuary.com.