Gordon A. Riley

Gordon Alfred Riley, 92, died Tuesday evening, December 9, 2014 at the Julia Temple Health Care Center in Englewood Colorado. He was born September 22, 1922 in Newark, NJ the son of Alfred Jones and Caroline (Koch) Riley. Gordon grew up in Glen Ridge, New Jersey and graduated from Glen Ridge High School, where he was a football star. He loved going to his family's cabin at Lake Kanawauke in upstate New work. Gordon enlisted in the Army Air Corp and served his country in Europe during World War II from 1943-1945 as a B-17 Armorer/Turret Specialist in the 384th Bomb Group. After the War he attended Pace Institute in New York and obtained a degree in business. Upon graduation he moved to Colorado in 1947 and worked for Wright and McGill as fly rod builder. During his business career he served as the Rocky Mountain sales representative for Armour and Company, Campbell's Soup, Jergens-Woodbury and Sara Lee. He later worked as Realtor and for the USPS. Gordon married Edith Isabelle Reed on November 1, 1948 in Denver and they soon moved to Butte Montana. After their twin sons, Kent and Glenn, were born there in 1950, they moved to Salt Lake City and then to Denver. They lived on Osage Street where their daughter Sherrie was born in 1952. Later they moved to Zurich Ct where their daughter Carol was born in 1955. In later life they moved to Yellow Flax St in Ken Caryl. Gordon spent the last two years in care at Julia Temple. Gordon loved to laugh and also make others laugh. He had a deep love of family, country, God and the natural world. He was especially proud of his membership in the Masons and Shriner Organizations and the Sons of the American Revolution. He had many interests, especially fishing, hunting, boating, photography, gardening, doing magic tricks, music, playing games and traveling. He was predecessed by his parents, his stepmother Kathryn, his brothers Harold G. and Charles (Gig) Riley, and his sister Dorothy Prentice. Gordon is survived by his sister Rae Grimmig of Niceville FL, his wife Edith Riley of 66 years, his sons Kent Patrick-Riley (Colleen) of Anchorage AK, Glenn of Waldron Island WA, Sherrie Duncan (Scott) of Highlands Ranch Co, Carol Thome (Joseph) of Manassas VA, grandsons Josh and Zachary Patrick-Riley, Patrick Thome, and granddaughter Kathreen Thome. Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, December 16 at 12:30 at Horan & McConaty at 3101 S. Wadsworth, Lakewood Colorado. Burial will follow at Ft. Logan Cemetery at 2:30 and a reception following. All who knew Gordon or his family are welcome. Donations can be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children @2900 Rocky Point Dr. Tampa FL 33607