William Ernest "Bill" Briley

William Ernest "Bill" Briley of Omaha, NE formerly of Malvern, IA died April 12, 2023 after a brief illness.

Bill was born on November 18, 1964 in Mercy hospital in Council Bluffs, IA the oldest of three children of Donald Anthony and Marion Dee (Knipfer) Briley.

Bill went to live on the farm 6 miles north of Malvern. As a young kid he loved to climb and play on the farm, as he got older he loved science fiction, space, ships and planes. He especially enjoyed comic books, building model ships and planes and building and flying model rockets.

Bill attended Chantry Elementary and then Malvern Junior Senior High School. In 1978 he moved with the family into Malvern. He graduated from Malvern High School in 1983. He then attended Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs and received an Associate Degree in Chemistry and then attended Iowa State University and received a Bachelor degree in History.

He worked several jobs out of college including being a batch maker making shampoo and body wash at an Omaha factory, before landing at A & L Laboratories (now Midwest Laboratories) where he worked for thirty years. During 2020, his health became an issue and he retired early.

Outside of work, he dutifully cared for Mom and Dad and Alice, making sure to take them where they needed to go and help Alice take care of Mom and Dad. Due to various health issues of Mom, Dad, Bill had to help take care of them from Dad getting sick in 1990 until Mom died in 2012.

After Mom died, Bill moved to Omaha to be closer to work and lived in Omaha the rest of his life, moving to Rolling Hills Ranch for the last year of his life making friends there.

Bill took great interest in science fiction, history (especially military history) and documentaries (especially those about history and technology). He had a lot of knowledge of the things he was interested in and could give lectures off the top of his head on these topics.

He always wore blue on Thursdays as a tribute to Mom and Dad and held their memories dearly. When he found out that he had a terminal illness, he wanted to make sure that the family got the possessions they wanted.

He was a kind man who is gone too soon. In his memory, buy yourself or a loved one a book about something you love or buy one for your local library.

Bill was proceeded in death by his parents, his great Uncle Charles Carlson and his Aunt Jane Knipfer.

Left to remember him are his brother John (Sheila) Briley of Minburn, IA, his sister Alice Briley of Corning, IA. Nephews Jeremy Ervin of Ankeny, IA and Jake (Kayla) Ervin and their three kids of Knoxville, IA; nieces Sarah Briley and Emma Briley both of Minburn, IA. His uncles Ross Knipfer, Stanley (Donna) Knipfer and Glenn (Dixie) Knipfer, cousins, friends and former coworkers.

Thanks to the people of Rolling Hills Ranch for being there during his time there.

Special thanks to Julia, Matt and Phil who helped him immensely during his later years.

A celebration of life will be held location and time to be sent out later.