Obituary: Florence Desneiges Bergeron Riley

Mrs. Riley

Mrs. Riley

Florence Desneiges Bergeron Riley of Prescott passed away suddenly on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010, at the age of 91. She was born on Feb. 5, 1919, in Pawtucket, R.I. She was the second of four children and the only girl, born to Henri Bergeron and Anita Theroux Bergeron.

Florence spent her childhood on a farm in New England. After high school, she attended Northwest Institute of Medical Technology in Minnesota and received diplomas in clinical laboratory, X-ray and electrocardiograph techniques. She worked as a lab attendant in Boston, Mass.

In 1942, she married Melvin Lee, who was a pilot during World War II. He was killed during the war in 1943.

Florence married Leo Alfred Riley in 1947. They had four children before moving to California in 1955. She was a full-time housewife, rearing her four children, with a fifth child born in 1962. She returned to the workforce in 1971 as a nurse's aide at Los Angeles County's Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center in Downey, Calif. She retired from the county in 1981, and moved to Prescott in 1987 with her husband.

Florence, known as "Muff" to her siblings and "Mil" to her close family members, enjoyed people. She was devoted to her family and kept in close contact with her relatives, near and far. She was undaunted by the computer world, which she viewed as another opportunity to keep in touch with her relatives. Whether old acquaintances or new, she invariably impressed all she met with her vivid recollection of a lifetime of memories.

Florence is survived by her five children, Jane Riley of South Pasadena, Stephen Riley (Irene) of Bell Canyon, Rosemary Daigh of Long Beach, Norma Riley of Livermore and Gregory Riley (Sheri) of Tehachapi, all in California. Her eight grandchildren are Sarah Daigh, Joe Zesiger, Everett Zesiger, Stephanie (Richard) Warfield, Megan Riley, Chloe Desneiges Riley, Chelsea and Sean Holland, plus four great grandchildren. She has two surviving brothers, Norman Bergeron (deceased Feb. 15, 2010) and Clifford Bergeron of Pennsylvania. Florence was predeceased by her husband and brother Leo Bergeron.

A funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010, at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Parish in Prescott. A short service and a "Gathering of Friends" will follow at noon at Hampton's Funeral Home. All friends who knew Florence are welcome.

Hampton Funeral Home was entrusted with the arrangements.

Information provided by survivors.


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