She is described by those who knew her with words such as beautiful, sweet, kind and generous, but brave may also be an accurate description.After a lengthy battle with cancer, Elizabeth Jenice Riley, the daughter of U.S. Rep. Bob Riley, R-Ashland, and Patsy Riley, died early Saturday at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham. She was 33.
"She was one of the most beautiful, kind and sweet people you ever met," said Leland Whaley, Riley's district director and close friend of the family. "Everyone that she met was just drawn to her."
Ms. Riley was rushed to the hospital Friday afternoon and was admitted to the intensive care unit, Whaley said. She died several hours later.
She had battled cancer for more than three years, flying about every two weeks to Houston, where she received most of her medical care at M.D. Anderson Cancer Treatment Center.
One of Ms. Riley's pastimes was buying old homes, redecortaing and reselling them, Whaley said.
Another of her occupations was helping with her father's political campaigns and organizing his fundraisers.
"She was a special person," Whaley said. "She was just very talented at a lot of things."
Ms. Riley never complained about her disease, he said. She made the most of it, actively raising thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society.
Ms. Riley also is credited with helping organize KidOne Transport, a charitable service that provides transportation to medical facilities for underprivileged children, Whaley said.
"She was very giving," he said. "She never asked anybody for anything."
Neither the congressman nor any members of the immediate family could be reached for comment.
In addition to her parents, Ms. Riley is survived by a brother, Rob Riley; tow sisters, krisalyn Riley and Minda Riley Campbell; a sister-in-law, Leslie Mcleod Riley; two nieces, Rebecca and Elizabeth Riley; and a nephew, Robert Refroe Riley III.
