Nicholas Adam Riley was born February 12, 1978, in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, the son of Lynn and Barb (Keith) Riley. As a child, Nick enjoyed playing baseball, basketball, and go-kart racing. He graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1996. Nick had a passion for community service and helping anyone in need from a young age. As a teen, he worked with children officiating flag football, basketball and baseball games and volunteered wherever else he was needed. As a young adult, he worked as the flagman for a local go-kart track. In 2007, Nick joined the Traer Fire Department, following in his father and brother’s footsteps. Nick served 7 years on the board of the Iowa Firefighters Association, acting as President from 2020 to 2021. He was currently working for Tama County on the secondary road crew.
Nick’s greatest desire in life was to start a family. Nick married Sami Carver on June 4, 2005, in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. With the desire to raise a family in small town Iowa, Nick and Sami moved to Traer in 2007. They were blessed with two beautiful children: Karrington Belle and Karver Nicholas. Nick enjoyed anything involving the outdoors or working with his hands. He spent summers camping, fishing, and going to dirt track races with his family. Winters were spent wood-working and building things in his garage. Nick was an optimist which led him to believe that every scratch ticket was a winner. Every day he stopped at the gas station to press his luck. His most cherished pastime was watching his children participate in their favorite activities. He would tear up each time he watched Karrington dance or sing and was Karver’s biggest and loudest fan at the hockey rink. Nick was a kid at heart, so it is no surprise he had a tremendous impact on his children’s friends and teammates. Nick never complained about Sami’s love for Disney. After their first trip to Walt Disney World, he grew to love it just as much as the rest of the family. Nick and Sami’s love truly was a Tale as Old as Time. He loved to take his family on vacations, with cruises being his favorite.
Nick, age 45, passed away on Friday, February 17, 2023, at his home following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. In his final days he was surrounded by family and friends. Nick is survived by his wife, Sami; daughter Karrington Belle and son Karver Nicholas, all of Traer; parents, Lynn and Barb Riley of Mt. Pleasant; father-in law, Keith (Brenda) Carver of Salem; mother-in-law, Dee Carver of Traer; paternal grandmother, Evelyn Riley of Mt. Pleasant; grandmother-in-law, Joyce Lasswell of Salem; two brothers, Bill (Jennifer) Riley and Mike (Tiffany) Riley both of Mt. Pleasant; brother-in-law, Blake (Carrie) Carver of Salem; nieces and nephews, Ashlynn, Kaleb, Haley, Abby, Bailey, Tyler, Carter, Paisley, Justis, Jaydin, Jersie, Macie Mae, Myia, Tripp, Hunter, Jerry, Melaney and Kourtney; many aunts, uncles and cousins. Nick is also survived by his fire brothers/sisters, Allison’s Dance Center and Waterloo Jr. Hawk family. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandmother, Dorothy Keith and paternal grandfather, Virgil Riley.
Anyone who wishes to honor Nick is requested to make contributions to the Traer Fire Department, Waterloo Youth Hockey Association, or a college fund established for his children at Farmer’s Savings Bank and Trust in Traer.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Overton Funeral Home, 714 First St., Traer, Iowa. Feel free to wear a Nick’s Army T-shirt and socks with slides.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, February 23, 2023, at 10:30 am at the Traer Memorial Building, 414 Second St., Traer, IA. Family invites everyone to join us for a meal and remembrance in Nick’s honor following the service at the Traer Memorial Building.