Cheryl M. Riley passed away peacefully Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Grand Junction, Colo., at the age of 78.
Cheryl created a life defined by service, education, and compassion. She grew up in Memphis, Tenn., during the Civil Rights era, an experience that shaped her values and influenced the course of her life.
After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Secondary Education from Memphis State University, Cheryl became the first faculty member to help integrate a previously segregated high school in Hernando, Miss., in 1969. She later earned a Master’s degree in Counseling from Arkansas State University in 1974 and a Master’s degree in Spanish from the University of Arkansas in 1976.
Cheryl moved with her family to St. Cloud, Minn., where she taught at St. Cloud State University before relocating to Morgantown in 1976.
In Morgantown, Cheryl pursued three distinct and meaningful career paths. She worked for five years as a clinician at Valley Mental Health Center, followed by five years at Preston Memorial Hospital’s Addiction Treatment Unit. She then spent more than 20 years at West Virginia University. During her tenure at WVU, she established the university’s first Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, serving faculty, staff, physicians, and medical residents.
Cheryl’s commitment to helping others extended beyond her professional work. She served as a Red Cross mental health volunteer in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, providing support during one of the nation’s most devastating natural disasters.
After retiring from West Virginia University in 2012, Cheryl moved to Oldsmar, Fla., where she devoted time to her passions for painting and rug hooking.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Carl James Smith, in 2023.
Cheryl is survived by her brother, George T. McDaniel, Jr. of Omaha, Nebr.; her daughters, Erin Kocourek (Elden) of Round Hill, Va., Kerry Riley of Grand Junction, Colo; granddaughter, Piper Riley Bastian; and great- niece, Emma Ehlers of South Korea.
Cremation services were held in Grand Junction. In accordance with Cheryl’s wishes, there will be no formal memorial service.
Memorial donations may be made to Hilltop Commons, HopeWest, or Abode Hospice in Grand Junction.
