Edie Reiley
Edith “Edie” McMullen-Reiley was born Dec. 1, 1946, in Long Beach, California, to Bailey and Signa Woodmancy-Ward. She died Feb. 17, 2019.
She was the second of five daughters: Carolyn, Edie, Janice, Connie and Renee. In 1952, they moved from Kansas to the Woodmancy family farm near the Colorado/Nebraska state line. There she attended grade school in Amherst until fifth grade, then attended school in Lamar, Nebraska, until her father passed away in 1958.
They then moved to Holyoke, where Edie graduated from high school in 1964. After graduation, she moved to Denver, where she attended beauty school. After graduation, she returned to Holyoke, where she went to work at Ardie’s Beauty Barr.
On Dec. 17, 1966, she was married to Arlyn McMullen and lived for a time in Wauneta, Nebraska. To this union, three children were born: Lana, Matthew and Ward. In 1972, they moved from Wauneta to Imperial, Nebraska, where they built Edie’s Beauty Bar and Style Shop — not only a beauty salon but a ladies’ clothing store.
On Feb. 14, 1997, she was married to Jerry Reiley, and they eventually made their home in Central City. She and Jerry enjoyed traveling by car. Within their lifetimes, they had visited all 50 states, plus a Panama Canal cruise. They also toured Colorado’s back country, going over 38 mountain passes, most requiring four-wheel drive. They bravely took their grandchildren on many of these trips.
Edie was always busy, not only operating many beauty shops during her life but also many other entrepreneurial ventures. She loved projects like jewelry making, online businesses, craft fairs and even painting pictures.
Edie loved her family and friends, which was so evident after her injury on Nov. 14, 2018. She was never alone, day or night, surrounded by people who loved her, all up to the very end on Feb. 17.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bailey and Signa Ward; husband, Arlyn McMullen; and sister, Janice Cox.
She is survived by her husband of 22 years, Jerry Reiley; daughter, Lana and James Goudy Jr.; sons, Matthew McMullen and Ward McMullen; stepdaughters, Lisa Reiley and Kara and John Moloney; six granddaughters, Lorisa, Amelia, Renee, Syerra, Hanna and Caitlin; four grandsons, Reece, Nathan, Tyler and Kyle; one great-grandson, Jeremy; three sisters, Carolyn and Merv Wallin, Connie Lonergan, and Renee and Tony Hinojosa; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins and friends.
A memorial service was held March 2 at Tabor Rice Funeral Home in Brighton, attended by many family members and friends. Cremation was chosen, and there will be a graveside inurnment at Mount Hope Cemetery in Imperial at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Neuro-ICU fund in Edie’s honor: www.uchospitalfoundation.org/.