Bessie Riney

Bessie Elizabeth Christensen Riney passed away on October 25 in Eugene after a full and interesting life. The daughter of Ralph and Marie (Bernhardt) Christensen, Bess was born on June 22, 1919, in Acme (now Cushman) Oregon. She was the great-granddaughter of some of the early settlers of the Siuslaw River Valley and she was always proud of her Oregon Pioneer heritage. She received her Teacher Certification from the Oregon College of Education in Monmouth. In 1942, she married Anthol Wayne Riney, who had just completed pilot training in the Army Air Corps. Bess taught school in Coquille and at the Whitaker Elementary School and the Lincoln School in Eugene. After the war, Bess traveled the world with her family, living and teaching in Paramaribo, Surinam; Tehran, Iran; New Delhi, India and their final posting to Ankara, Turkey. She continued to travel around the world during her "retired" years with a zest and interest in learning and education. She returned to the University of Oregon to complete a Bachelor of Science in Education. She is survived by her sons: Chris and Dan, both of Eugene, two granddaughters, a grandson, and five great-grandchildren.