Joan Damaris Riley

Joan Damaris "Dee" Riley passed peacefully into the Kingdom of the Lord on March 8, 2022. Dee was surrounded by her loving children as she started her heavenly journey. Dee was born in Bisbee, Arizona on September 17, 1941. She attended St. Patrick's elementary school and Bisbee High School. She learned to play the piano as a young grade schooler and became so proficient at it that when she was a freshman in high school she was asked to play the organ at St. Patrick's church for the adult choir. She quickly learned the organ and became a dependable mainstay of the choir until she graduated from Bisbee High and went off to nursing school. Dee started her college career at St. Joseph's Hospital School of Nursing in Phoenix where she graduated in 1962 and became a licensed registered nurse. It was also in 1962 that Dee married Donald "Don" Bays, with whom she had attended grade school and high school. Dee and Don took up residence in Tucson where Dee started work at Tucson's St. Joseph's Hospital as a registered nurse. Within two years on the job, she was appointed to the position of Assistant Director of Nursing, a position she held until moving to the Los Angeles area i...[more]

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uly of 1968. Taking up residency in Hacienda Heights, just north of Whittier, California, Dee accepted a nursing position at Whittier's Presbyterian Community Hospital. After a year in California Don's job got him transferred to Phoenix. Dee and the couple's two young children at the time moved with Don to Phoenix where Dee resided until her passing. In Phoenix, Dee went back to her alma mater hospital, St. Joseph's, and became the head nurse of the pediatric unit, a position she would hold for several years until she decided to engage in contract work which included home health nursing. She continued her career as a home health nurse until she eventually retired. Dee had a great love of the fine arts - not only music but in reading and writing poetry. Dee was also an accomplished ballroom dancer, having entered numerous ballroom dancing competitions with her instructor-partner and winning many first-place awards. Dee is best known for her sense of humor and her infectious laughter, which could turn the gloomiest of spirits into the happiest folks around. She loved her children and grandchildren dearly. Dee and Don would eventually divorce but have remained steadfast friends until Dee's passing. Dee is survived by her sons Bill, John and Brett Bays and her daughter, Kathy Cook; also, her grandchildren Brittany Stalp, Lindsay Bays, Blake Bays, Alexis Cook, Olivia Bays, Jonathan Bays, Elijah Bays and great granddaughter, Milana DeShields. Dee is also survived by her brother, Frank Riley and his wife Sherry and their son Jessie and daughter Bobbi Jo. A celebration of life for Joan Riley will be held Thursday, March 31st, 11 am at St Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church located at 10755 N 124th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85259. A reception in an adjacent hall at the church will immediately follow. If you would like to donate in lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org) are also appreciated.