Nellie Feaster Riley

Nellie Ruth Feaster Riley was born on November 4, 1943 in Guilford County, NC. She was the daughter of Grady Feaster and Connie Hall Feaster (Free), and granddaughter of Walter Bantee Feaster, Maggie Chapman Feaster, Mamie Hall, and Ruff Hall (all deceased). She peacefully entered eternal rest with her daughter by her side on March 14, 2025.

Nellie, the youngest of three siblings, grew up in Greensboro, NC and was an active member of Providence Baptist Church. She graduated from Dudley High School in 1962 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Agricultural and Technical (A&T) State University in 1966. She returned to A&T and received a Master of Science in Counseling in 1974. In 1979, Nellie was awarded a Master of Business Administration degree from Wake Forest University. During her career, Nellie continuously pursued education and obtained multiple certifications from prestigious institutions such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and Harvard University.

In 1979 Nellie married the love of her life, Frank Edward Riley, who preceded her in death. Her husband’s engineering expertise boosted her success in creating award-winning diversity and inclusion programs. After marrying, she relocated to Durham, NC, where she applied her advanced leadership, management, and administrative skills in the NC Office of State Personnel. She served as the State Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Services Division from 1981 to 2015.

Nellie served on numerous non-profit boards and actively participated in various civic organizations. She served on the Board of Directors for the Chapter-International Personnel Management and Haiti Heritage Center. She chaired the Hospitality Committee of the Durham Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and was the Archivist and Chair for the HBCU Scholarship Endowment for The Durham Chapter of the Links. Additionally, she was President of the Durham Affiliate-National Black Child Institute and the Youth Council at Peace Missionary Baptist Church.

Nellie was passionate about travel, an enthusiastic reader, a connoisseur of visual and performing arts, an accomplished tennis player, and a dedicated advocate for civil rights and social justice. Her unwavering belief in equality guided her throughout life and her career. Over the course of her extensive service in both professional and community settings, Nellie consistently demonstrated enthusiasm, compassion, and diligence in her interactions and contributions. These attributes resulted in many caring friends and numerous awards, including the Rooney Award for Innovations in Human Resources Programs, the National Association of State Personnel Directors, and the John R. Larkins Award from NC State Government.

A devoted wife and mother, Nellie leaves to cherish her loving memory: daughter, Frankye Jeanelle Riley of Durham, NC; one sister, Thelma Jean Feaster; three nephews, Jeffrey Feaster (Carolyn) of Providence, RI; Kristopher Feaster (Miyoshi) of Waldorf, Maryland; and James Scott of Washington DC; and many more relatives and friends .