Darlene A. Block Riley

Darlene Riley, 76, of Beal City, entered eternal life on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, at home, surrounded by her loving family and is now with her loving Lord and family members who have gone before her. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22, at St. Joseph The Worker Church with Father David Jenuwine presiding. Cremation will follow with her ashes being interred in St. Joseph Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home, 2300 S. Lincoln Rd., on Monday from 2-5 and 7-9 p.m. with the Vigil beginning at 4 p.m. Visitation continues at the church one hour prior to Mass. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph The Worker Church or School. Envelopes are available at the funeral home. Darlene was born Sept. 30, 1933, in Isabella County, the daughter of the late Leslie and Lena (Stebbins) Carr. She married Richard Dale Block on Oct. 15, 1949, at St. Philomena Church. After his death in 1958, she married Herbert C. Riley on Nov. 9, 1963, at St. Philomena Church. A life resident of the area, Darlene worked as a cashier at Giant Supermarket and retired as head receiver. Her very first job was in catering for the Embers. Darlene was well known for her wonderful pie making and beautiful gardening. She enjoyed playing cards and traveling. But the most important thing in her life was her family, especially her grandchildren who gave her so much enjoyment and made her so proud. And her grandchildren felt the same about her. Darlene is survived by six children, Carlene (Don) Rivers of Tulsa, OK, Kenneth (Vickie) Block of Beal City, Lonnie (Jan) Block of Sumner, Leslee (Patrick) Heintz of Traverse City, Henry (Jane) Block of Beal City, and Michael (Poorti) Riley of Ocala, FL; 21 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren and three on the way; her brother, Ronald (Donna) Carr of Lake; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Richard Block in 1958 and Herbert Riley in 1988; infant daughter, Lena Block; and granddaughter, Katie Heintz in 2005.