RILEY CARL

CW4 Carl Riley was a potential VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 01/09/2013 at the age of 86.6
Lawton, OK
Flight Class 55-Q
Date of Birth 05/21/1926
Served in the U.S. Army
This information was provided by Sammie Williams

More detail on this person: LAWTON, Okla. - CW4 (Retired) Carl J. Riley, 86, died Wednesday, January 9, 2013 in a Lawton hospital.

Mr. Riley was born May 21, 1926 in Concord, to Wilfred Carl and Madaline (Prentiss) Riley. He grew up in East Concord and attended school there through high school. He was an athlete in high school where he played baseball, football and ran track and was named an all-state halfback in 1944. He also played semi-professional baseball. While in school he met Patricia Tippet and they married in 1947 and were married for 61 years.

Mr. Riley entered the U.S. Army and served for 31 years, retiring in 1975. While in the Army he became a helicopter pilot, flying Hueys, H-37, H-34 and Chinooks. He served in World War II, Korea and two tours in Vietnam. His awards include the Bronze Star, eight awards of the Air Medal and his Senior Aviator Badge. He and the family spent three years in Germany while serving with the army.

He was a member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. He had coached Little League baseball, served as a junior golf instructor and volunteered at Reynolds Army Community Hospital as a physical therapist aid. He had also served on the Board of Directors at Fort Sill Federal Credit Union for two years.

During his life he was an avid reader, loved to play golf, bowl and garden. He loved his country and was proud to have served. He will be missed by his many friends and family who are proud to have known him.

He is survived by five children, William C. Riley, formerly of Lawton and now of Tallahassee, Fla., Christy A. Wood and husband Michael, Lawton, Sharon L. Riley, Lawton, Carla J. and Steve Prock, Sherman, Texas, and James S. Riley and wife Ronda, Paris, Texas; 13 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Monday, January 14, at 11:30 a.m., in the St. Andrew's Episcopal Church with The Rev. Shelley Forrester, Rector officiating.

Burial with full military honors will be in the Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, under the direction of the Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

An online guest book and sympathy cards are available at www.beckerfuneral.com

Published in The Concord Monitor on January 12, 2013

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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