In loving memory of Peter "Pete" Lewis Riley

Obituary

Peter Lewis Riley (Pete) passed away peacefully on July 18, 2024 (age 80) in The Villages, Florida. Pete was born to Roscoe Conklin (Pete) Riley and Katherine (Kay) Blakeman on August 1, 1943, in Rhinebeck, NY. He lived in Red Hook, NY for most of his life where he contributed greatly to the community. He enjoyed living in The Villages, FL during retirement where he courageously battled Parkinson’s Disease for 20 years.

Pete graduated from Red Hook Central High in 1961 and earned his BS in Math Education at SUNY New Paltz. He taught math and computer science at Van Wyck Junior High in the Wappingers Central School District. After some years of teaching, he earned a National Science Foundation grant to attend the University at Buffalo where he earned a Master’s Degree of Mathematics. He became the Teacher in Charge of the Math Department at Van Wyck Jr. High. With the help of his department, they became a Mathematics School of Distinction.

In 1964 Pete married Beverly Gearing and together they built a family and a wonderful life filled with fun, a variety of shared interests, much laughter, happiness and many friendships. He was a loving father to his children: Denise (Richard) Miller, Debbie Kolberg, Diane (Matthew) Donohue, and Peter James (Judy) Riley. He will be missed by his grandchildren: Ann-Marie, Joseph, Peter Wayne, Christopher, Carolyn, Samantha, Brendan, Carter, and Meagan, as well as his great-grandson, Noah, and his Rotary Exchange daughter, Marcia Alessandra Cavalaro (Lee from Brazil).

Pete touched countless lives and will be remembered for the many marks he left on earth. He was a talented percussionist and marched with union bands in local parades, played in various dance and wedding bands (“The Faculty” and “The Bob Spallino Trio”) and occasionally played with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic Orchestra. He was Commodore of the Red Hook Boat Club, President of the Red Hook Chamber of Commerce, Trustee on the Wappingers Falls Central School Sick Bank, a Member of the Red Hook Jaycees and a Founding Member of the Red Hook Alumni Association and Mayor of the Village of Red Hook where he organized events honoring the Olympic Torch as it passed through New York to Lake Placid in 1980. Pete enjoyed boating on the Hudson River (“School’s Out”), golfing, square dancing with The Lefooters, bowling, camping, canoeing, biking, traveling, playing Bingo and card games, and relaxing in the backyard with family and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, July 25^th at Colony Cottage Recreation Center (510 Colony Blvd, The Villages FL) from 2 – 4 pm. All friends are welcome to attend.

Pete will always be remembered for his kindness, humor, and his ability to put others at ease. Donations in Pete’s honor may be made to Red Hook Responds: PO Box 624 Red Hook NY 12571 (a charitable organization his grandson, Christopher, co-founded during Covid), The Michael J. Fox Foundation: PO Box 5014 Hagerstown MD 21741, or VITAS Community Connections Hospice Palliative Care: 255 East Fifth St, Suite 1200 Cincinnati OH 45202