1917
Riley
2008
Riley Killmer
October 15, 1917 — February 14, 2008
Riley A. Killmer, beloved husband and father, Leawood, Kansas passed away peacefully on Thursday, the 14th of February at Good Samaritan Center, Olathe, KS. Riley was born October 15, 1917 to Riley McKee Killmer and Cora Killmer. Folk lore has it his grandmother gave birth to a child under a covered wagon in western Kansas during an Indian raid.
Having recently lost his wife, Lora Lee Killmer of sixty two years, he is survived by: his brother-in-law George Ulam; his sister-in-law Selma Connor, his sons and their wives; Craig and Christina Killmer, Kansas City, MO; Kent and Dana Killmer, Danville, CA; his daughter and her husband, Denise and Tim Olive, Roswell, GA and his grandchildren Colin, Christopher, Montana, and Stephanie Jo Killmer. Riley also is survived by his grand daughter-in-law Jacqueline Killmer, step grandchildren Mathew and Amanda, two great grandchildren Samantha and Adrianna, and three step great-grandchildren, Connor, Aislynn and Aidan. He is also survived by six nieces and nephews.
Riley was born in Argentine, Kansas and graduated from Argentine High School in 1935. Dad met Mom ice skating at the Pla-Mor Bowl ? dressed up in a Russian Cossack outfit for Halloween. He deftly traded up with Mom as his prior girl friend ?could not skate for sour apples?. He gave her an engagement ring at the famed Brown Derby in Los Angeles while training in the start of WWII. He continued duty in the US Army?s 75th Infantry rising to Technical Sergeant from March ?42 to October ?45. In his European Theatre tour, after the ?The Battle of the Bulge? he was decorated with a Bronze Star and promoted to Master Sergeant which he said he received ?for typing the fastest?? At the close of the War, he declined a commission in the Judge Advocates Corp and planned to wed his sweetheart who had waited through the long war for his return. They married in 1945 on the hottest day in August.
Riley enjoyed a lengthy career in the construction industry. He has life-long memories of his almost 30 years with Schweiger Construction Company. He founded R. A. Killmer Construction Company on McGee Trafficway in Kansas City, MO and then served as Senior Estimator for DiCarlo Construction for many years until ?retirement?. Realizing that retirement had a low entertainment value, he went back to estimating for Universal Construction in his lattermost years working part time until age 81. In his eighties it was recognized that he had bowled with the Builder?s Association Bowling Team for fifty years, a time span longer than any other person.
With his wife, Lora Lee (pre-deceased) of sixty-two years, he resided in Leawood, Kansas since 1950. Riley was active in many Leawood civic groups over his lifetime. He fondly remembered the ?Leawoodites? Dance Club from early in Leawood?s history, the Leawood Country Club where he and Lora Lee were charter members (#91) as well as strong advocacy with Leawood Lions Club where he was a past President and retained strong member ties his entire life.
Dad was a strong father figure. A quiet ?man?s man?. Slow to anger. Rarely raised his voice unless something was on fire. He had the keen ability to not major in the minors and could disagree agreeably. Riley was a man of remarkably selfless industry, who frequently worked six days a week for his family?s well being. Possessing a sense of humor, he also had indomitable grit and steely mental toughness. He complained rarely, and then, only in an understated manner. Witness his fall from trimming the front yard tree at 79, driving the pruning shears through the palm of his hand? and then driving himself to the hospital without a peep. He was an oak.
Having recently lost his wife, Lora Lee Killmer of sixty two years, he is survived by: his brother-in-law George Ulam; his sister-in-law Selma Connor, his sons and their wives; Craig and Christina Killmer, Kansas City, MO; Kent and Dana Killmer, Danville, CA; his daughter and her husband, Denise and Tim Olive, Roswell, GA and his grandchildren Colin, Christopher, Montana, and Stephanie Jo Killmer. Riley also is survived by his grand daughter-in-law Jacqueline Killmer, step grandchildren Mathew and Amanda, two great grandchildren Samantha and Adrianna, and three step great-grandchildren, Connor, Aislynn and Aidan. He is also survived by six nieces and nephews.
Riley was born in Argentine, Kansas and graduated from Argentine High School in 1935. Dad met Mom ice skating at the Pla-Mor Bowl ? dressed up in a Russian Cossack outfit for Halloween. He deftly traded up with Mom as his prior girl friend ?could not skate for sour apples?. He gave her an engagement ring at the famed Brown Derby in Los Angeles while training in the start of WWII. He continued duty in the US Army?s 75th Infantry rising to Technical Sergeant from March ?42 to October ?45. In his European Theatre tour, after the ?The Battle of the Bulge? he was decorated with a Bronze Star and promoted to Master Sergeant which he said he received ?for typing the fastest?? At the close of the War, he declined a commission in the Judge Advocates Corp and planned to wed his sweetheart who had waited through the long war for his return. They married in 1945 on the hottest day in August.
Riley enjoyed a lengthy career in the construction industry. He has life-long memories of his almost 30 years with Schweiger Construction Company. He founded R. A. Killmer Construction Company on McGee Trafficway in Kansas City, MO and then served as Senior Estimator for DiCarlo Construction for many years until ?retirement?. Realizing that retirement had a low entertainment value, he went back to estimating for Universal Construction in his lattermost years working part time until age 81. In his eighties it was recognized that he had bowled with the Builder?s Association Bowling Team for fifty years, a time span longer than any other person.
With his wife, Lora Lee (pre-deceased) of sixty-two years, he resided in Leawood, Kansas since 1950. Riley was active in many Leawood civic groups over his lifetime. He fondly remembered the ?Leawoodites? Dance Club from early in Leawood?s history, the Leawood Country Club where he and Lora Lee were charter members (#91) as well as strong advocacy with Leawood Lions Club where he was a past President and retained strong member ties his entire life.
Dad was a strong father figure. A quiet ?man?s man?. Slow to anger. Rarely raised his voice unless something was on fire. He had the keen ability to not major in the minors and could disagree agreeably. Riley was a man of remarkably selfless industry, who frequently worked six days a week for his family?s well being. Possessing a sense of humor, he also had indomitable grit and steely mental toughness. He complained rarely, and then, only in an understated manner. Witness his fall from trimming the front yard tree at 79, driving the pruning shears through the palm of his hand? and then driving himself to the hospital without a peep. He was an oak.
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