Good Shepherd Funeral Home
Mrs. Betty Jane Wagoner Riley, 89, of Rome, Georgia, died Friday, November 8th at Cartersville Medical Center following a recent illness.
Jane was born April 18, 1930 in Salisbury, North Carolina, the beloved child of the late John Dennis Wagoner and the late Thelma Swain Wagoner.
She graduated from Rome Girls' High in 1947, and enrolled in Shorter College as an art major. Later, she went to work briefly as an operator for Southern Bell in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. On June 25, 1949, she married Wesley Andrew Riley, also of Rome, Georgia. They resided in Rome, Georgia, had five children, and were married until February of 1972.
In 1971, while raising her children, Jane went to work at Floyd Medical Center (then Floyd Hospital). She served the public as a cardiology technician, responsible for conducting various diagnostic tests, such as EKGs, EEGs (brainwaves) and Holter monitoring.
She also trained many new employees over her 28 years at Floyd and maintained her vocational education by taking relevant classes as new medical technologies developed. She also did testing for a neurology practice in Rome, Georgia.
After semi-retiring, she worked at Dekalb General Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, doing EKGs and EEGs, driving a long commute from Rome. She permanently retired in 1998 and later cared for her mother from 2003 until her mother passed away in 2005.
Jane loved children, cats and dogs, the color purple, chocolate, movies, classic television and sci-fi, painting, drawing, crafting, sewing and quilting. She was also an excellent cook and made family dishes that no one else could ever make as well, particularly Thanksgiving dressing. Jane also handcrafted beautiful gingerbread houses at Christmas.
She also kept a garden for many years and served as a Sunday school teacher and choir member at the First United Methodist Church of Rome. She later joined the West Rome Methodist Church congregation in the mid-nineteen-seventies and remained a member of West Rome Methodist Church until her death.
She is survived by three daughters; Phyllis Agan, Cartersville, GA; Martha Sandlin (David), Cave Spring, GA; Linda Rowe (David), Kennesaw, GA; One son: Danny Riley, Rome, GA; Three grandchildren; Bryan Agan, Savannah, GA; Angie Cronin, Cartersville, GA; Olivia Rowe, Kennesaw; six great-grandchildren; Paul, Daniel, Bella, Emily, Chloe, and Coby; one great-great grandchild, Harper.
She is preceded in death by one son, Wesley Stephen Riley, and one grandson, David Alan Sandlin Jr.
The funeral service will be held Wednesday, November 13th at 2:00 pm, at Good Shepherd Funeral Home,
2750 Shorter Ave, Rome, Georgia 30165. Visitation will be two hours directly before the service, from 12:00-2:00 pm.
Burial will follow at Oaknoll Memorial Gardens.
Online condolences are welcomed at https://www.goodshepherdfh.net/obituaries/
Parnick Jennings, Sr.'s Good Shepherd Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.
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