Cheryl Lynn (Meuir) Riley of Jonesboro, formerly of Tuckerman, departed this life on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at the age of 70. She was born in Wylie, Texas, on February 7, 1956, the daughter of L.C. and Emma Marie (Kinser) Meuir.
On June 8th of 1973, Miss Cheryl Meiur married the love of her life, Mr. Keith Riley, and together they have shared fifty-two wonderful years together. They raised their three children at the First Free Will Baptist Church, where she enjoyed singing in the choir. She was also active in the Ladies Auxiliary. Cheryl and her husband later became members of the First Baptist Church in Tuckerman.
Mrs. Riley was a 1974 graduate of Tuckerman High School. She later went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Education from Arkansas State University to prepare for a career she would cherish for decades. Mrs. Riley served as a teacher at Tuckerman High School with the Jackson County School District, where she spent twenty-four years as an English teacher. She retired in 2021, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and genuine care for her students. Mrs. Riley truly loved her students and believed in their potential. In addition to teaching English, she also served as a dyslexia interventionist, offering extra support to her students.
Cheryl was an avid reader. She also loved cooking, sewing, and painting. She especially loved sitting in her sunroom and watching birds. Above all else, Cheryl’s greatest joy was the time spent with her family. She had a special way of making vacations meaningful and creating traditions that her family will cherish for years.
Cheryl was preceded in death by her brother, Randy Meuir; and her parents.
She is survived by her husband, Keith Riley, of the home; a son, Joel Keith Riley, Jr. and wife, Bridget, of Memphis, Tennessee; two daughters, Rebecca Marie Orr and husband, Wally, and Ashlee Lynn Foster and husband, Shaun, all of Jonesboro; two sisters, Jan Craver and Theresa Thompson and husband, Steve, all of Conway; five grandchildren, Charlie Orr and wife, Emma, of Jonesboro, Abby Orr of Chicago, Ellis Riley of Memphis, Nolan Riley of Memphis, and Mack Foster of Jonesboro; one great-grandson, Leo Orr; many nieces and nephews; and a lifetime of friends.
Funeral services for Mrs. Riley will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, February 16, 2026, at Jackson’s Newport Funeral Home Chapel, with Bro Jason Sullivan officiating and Mrs. Bridget Riley delivering a eulogy. Interment will follow in Gracelawn Cemetery. Friends and family may visit at the funeral home on Friday, beginning at 12:30 p.m. until service time.
Those honored to serve as pallbearers are Wally Orr, Shaun Foster, Charlie Orr, Noah Riley, Ben Bowen, and Brian Stapleton. Honorary pallbearers are Jamison Fortenberry, Perry Riley, and Doug Stapleton.
The family has asked that memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital at 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Arrangements by Jackson’s Funeral Home.
