Obituary: Early Morning Riley

Early Morning Riley, 54, passed away on Feb. 5, 2026, in Juneau, Alaska.

He was born in Montana in 1971, and grew up in Norfolk, Virginia. A celebration of life will take place in Juneau this summer.

Early Morning Riley and his daughter Haley.

As a child, he was always taking things apart to see how they worked, and he excelled in math and all things logical. Early learned to work on cars as a teenager. He was methodical and meticulous, which made him a talented mechanic.

He loved music, particularly indie punk from the ’80s and ’90s. He grew up surrounded by artistic friends and supported their endeavors wholeheartedly. He sometimes joined musician friends on stage to sing with the band. He immersed himself in sports and was a lifelong fan of the Dallas Cowboys.

Early Morning was charismatic and jovial. Everyone he met liked him instantly. As the eldest of six siblings, he developed an air of being in charge. He had a keen sense of others. He accepted people as they were and met them where they were at without judgment. You walked away from a conversation with Early feeling a little lighter and more sure of yourself. He laughed easily and displayed an endearing goofiness. He loved his family unconditionally and was exceedingly proud of his daughter Haley and his grandson Leo. It was clear he felt they represented the best in him.

He was preceded in death by his father Arthur Riley and his mother Sherry Kincheloe. He is survived by his daughter Haley Morning Riley, grandson Leo Morning Dalby, his brother Joshua Riley, and his sisters Blue Shibler (Colby), Rachel Riley, Brook Riley (John), and Zoey Evans.