Thomas Norman Riley was born February 6, 1929 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, the first-born child of John Norman Riley, Sr. and Margaret Ellen Hearley Riley. He had two brothers, John Norman Riley, Jr. and James F. Riley, both of whom became Catholic priests, and one sister, Patricia Riley Offerman. He was in the graduation class of 1947 from Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland. As a youth Tom was given the Last Rites (Extreme Unction) twice, once when he had pneumonia and once when he had polio. In the summer of 1949 he contracted Polio while working as a deck hand on the Elbert Gary ore boat. Polio left him impaired in his right arm, and he had to become left-handed.
On November 7, 1952 he met his sister's college friend, Nancy Donnelly, and fell in love. On September 4, 1954 he married Anne Roger “Nancy” Donnelly Riley at Saint Antoninus Roman Catholic Church in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. Tom and Nancy had nine children whom they raised in the Cleveland area: Thomas P. Riley (husband of Kathleen), Michael G. Riley (husband of Margaret), J. Norman Riley (husband of Mary), Patrick G. Riley (husband of Deborah), Jane C. Riley, Daniel J. Riley (husband of Deborah), Margaret M. Riley McCarthy (wife of William), Brigid Ann Riley Kelleher (who predeceased her father) (wife of Sean whose second wife is Marta), and James P. Riley (husband of Patricia, who predeceased her father-in-law). At the time of his death, Tom had 28 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Tom was a loving, if gruff, son, husband, brother, father, and grandfather. He experienced in his life both happiness and tragedy, none worse than the death of his daughter Brigid. But as his son Norm said in his eulogy to his father, "Dad’s standard retort to 'How are you doing?' was 'Super, Absolutely Super' even in the very toughest or darkest of times he was--'Super, Absolutely Super.'"
He worked for many years as a car salesman. His ancestry was Irish.
Surrounded by family Tom died of sepsis at age 86 on June 25, 2015 in Cleveland. His brother, Father Jim Riley, gave him the Last Rites (Anointing of the Sick). After a funeral Mass at Saint Christopher Roman Catholic Church in Rocky River, Cuyahoga County, burial was at Lakewood Park Cemetery in Rocky River next to his beloved wife Nancy who died in 2012.
In the words of their son Norm, "Mom and Dad have left us with tangible evidence of love, faith, hope, charity, respect, hard work, perseverance, the ability to overcome challenges no matter how hard, laughter, and family.”
Thanks so much to all the Riley family researchers, especially Norm Riley, for much of this information. Any errors, however, are mine alone. Please go to the "edit" link on this site with any corrections or additions. If a closer relative than I would like to manage this burial site, please let me know.
On November 7, 1952 he met his sister's college friend, Nancy Donnelly, and fell in love. On September 4, 1954 he married Anne Roger “Nancy” Donnelly Riley at Saint Antoninus Roman Catholic Church in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. Tom and Nancy had nine children whom they raised in the Cleveland area: Thomas P. Riley (husband of Kathleen), Michael G. Riley (husband of Margaret), J. Norman Riley (husband of Mary), Patrick G. Riley (husband of Deborah), Jane C. Riley, Daniel J. Riley (husband of Deborah), Margaret M. Riley McCarthy (wife of William), Brigid Ann Riley Kelleher (who predeceased her father) (wife of Sean whose second wife is Marta), and James P. Riley (husband of Patricia, who predeceased her father-in-law). At the time of his death, Tom had 28 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Tom was a loving, if gruff, son, husband, brother, father, and grandfather. He experienced in his life both happiness and tragedy, none worse than the death of his daughter Brigid. But as his son Norm said in his eulogy to his father, "Dad’s standard retort to 'How are you doing?' was 'Super, Absolutely Super' even in the very toughest or darkest of times he was--'Super, Absolutely Super.'"
He worked for many years as a car salesman. His ancestry was Irish.
Surrounded by family Tom died of sepsis at age 86 on June 25, 2015 in Cleveland. His brother, Father Jim Riley, gave him the Last Rites (Anointing of the Sick). After a funeral Mass at Saint Christopher Roman Catholic Church in Rocky River, Cuyahoga County, burial was at Lakewood Park Cemetery in Rocky River next to his beloved wife Nancy who died in 2012.
In the words of their son Norm, "Mom and Dad have left us with tangible evidence of love, faith, hope, charity, respect, hard work, perseverance, the ability to overcome challenges no matter how hard, laughter, and family.”
Thanks so much to all the Riley family researchers, especially Norm Riley, for much of this information. Any errors, however, are mine alone. Please go to the "edit" link on this site with any corrections or additions. If a closer relative than I would like to manage this burial site, please let me know.
Thomas Norman Riley was born February 6, 1929 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, the first-born child of John Norman Riley, Sr. and Margaret Ellen Hearley Riley. He had two brothers, John Norman Riley, Jr. and James F. Riley, both of whom became Catholic priests, and one sister, Patricia Riley Offerman. He was in the graduation class of 1947 from Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland. As a youth Tom was given the Last Rites (Extreme Unction) twice, once when he had pneumonia and once when he had polio. In the summer of 1949 he contracted Polio while working as a deck hand on the Elbert Gary ore boat. Polio left him impaired in his right arm, and he had to become left-handed.
On November 7, 1952 he met his sister's college friend, Nancy Donnelly, and fell in love. On September 4, 1954 he married Anne Roger “Nancy” Donnelly Riley at Saint Antoninus Roman Catholic Church in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. Tom and Nancy had nine children whom they raised in the Cleveland area: Thomas P. Riley (husband of Kathleen), Michael G. Riley (husband of Margaret), J. Norman Riley (husband of Mary), Patrick G. Riley (husband of Deborah), Jane C. Riley, Daniel J. Riley (husband of Deborah), Margaret M. Riley McCarthy (wife of William), Brigid Ann Riley Kelleher (who predeceased her father) (wife of Sean whose second wife is Marta), and James P. Riley (husband of Patricia, who predeceased her father-in-law). At the time of his death, Tom had 28 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Tom was a loving, if gruff, son, husband, brother, father, and grandfather. He experienced in his life both happiness and tragedy, none worse than the death of his daughter Brigid. But as his son Norm said in his eulogy to his father, "Dad’s standard retort to 'How are you doing?' was 'Super, Absolutely Super' even in the very toughest or darkest of times he was--'Super, Absolutely Super.'"
He worked for many years as a car salesman. His ancestry was Irish.
Surrounded by family Tom died of sepsis at age 86 on June 25, 2015 in Cleveland. His brother, Father Jim Riley, gave him the Last Rites (Anointing of the Sick). After a funeral Mass at Saint Christopher Roman Catholic Church in Rocky River, Cuyahoga County, burial was at Lakewood Park Cemetery in Rocky River next to his beloved wife Nancy who died in 2012.
In the words of their son Norm, "Mom and Dad have left us with tangible evidence of love, faith, hope, charity, respect, hard work, perseverance, the ability to overcome challenges no matter how hard, laughter, and family.”
Thanks so much to all the Riley family researchers, especially Norm Riley, for much of this information. Any errors, however, are mine alone. Please go to the "edit" link on this site with any corrections or additions. If a closer relative than I would like to manage this burial site, please let me know.
On November 7, 1952 he met his sister's college friend, Nancy Donnelly, and fell in love. On September 4, 1954 he married Anne Roger “Nancy” Donnelly Riley at Saint Antoninus Roman Catholic Church in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. Tom and Nancy had nine children whom they raised in the Cleveland area: Thomas P. Riley (husband of Kathleen), Michael G. Riley (husband of Margaret), J. Norman Riley (husband of Mary), Patrick G. Riley (husband of Deborah), Jane C. Riley, Daniel J. Riley (husband of Deborah), Margaret M. Riley McCarthy (wife of William), Brigid Ann Riley Kelleher (who predeceased her father) (wife of Sean whose second wife is Marta), and James P. Riley (husband of Patricia, who predeceased her father-in-law). At the time of his death, Tom had 28 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Tom was a loving, if gruff, son, husband, brother, father, and grandfather. He experienced in his life both happiness and tragedy, none worse than the death of his daughter Brigid. But as his son Norm said in his eulogy to his father, "Dad’s standard retort to 'How are you doing?' was 'Super, Absolutely Super' even in the very toughest or darkest of times he was--'Super, Absolutely Super.'"
He worked for many years as a car salesman. His ancestry was Irish.
Surrounded by family Tom died of sepsis at age 86 on June 25, 2015 in Cleveland. His brother, Father Jim Riley, gave him the Last Rites (Anointing of the Sick). After a funeral Mass at Saint Christopher Roman Catholic Church in Rocky River, Cuyahoga County, burial was at Lakewood Park Cemetery in Rocky River next to his beloved wife Nancy who died in 2012.
In the words of their son Norm, "Mom and Dad have left us with tangible evidence of love, faith, hope, charity, respect, hard work, perseverance, the ability to overcome challenges no matter how hard, laughter, and family.”
Thanks so much to all the Riley family researchers, especially Norm Riley, for much of this information. Any errors, however, are mine alone. Please go to the "edit" link on this site with any corrections or additions. If a closer relative than I would like to manage this burial site, please let me know.
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