MICHAEL EDMUND RILEY

MUSCATINE, Iowa - Michael Edmund Riley, 89, of Muscatine, passed away on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.

 

A private family service will be held. The Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to St. Mary's Cemetery. Online condolences may be made at www.wittichfuneralhome.com.

 

Michael was born on December 05, 1935, in Salford, England the son of James Harold Riley and Harriet Hilda Wakefield. He married Barbara Ridley from Salford on 28th April, 1956 with whom he had three boys, Michael, Mark and Martin. He and Barbara divorced in the early 60’s. On July 5, 1965 he married Beryl Bamford from Tintwistle, England and they had a daughter Rachel and son Sean. They remained happily married until Beryl’s passing in Muscatine on June 18, 2022.

 

Michael grew up in Salford, England, surviving The Blitz during the Second World War, which included a direct hit on the Riley home, thanks to the heroic actions of his Uncle Tom who got the family out just in time.  He passed his 11+ exam and attended, along with his older brother Harold, the Salford Grammar School for Boys where he was best friends with Albert Finney, the future international award winning actor.  Michael earned a degree in Chemistry from Salford University. His early career was as an industrial chemist working in polyurethane manufacturing and sales in the UK (Lankro Chemicals), Sweden the USA (Wyandotte Chemicals) and Sweden (MoDo Kemi). He then switched to a career in pharmaceuticals sales in Holland (UpJohn), Belgium (Abbot), Switzerland (Abbot) and then back to the USA (Abbot). He also started and developed several of his own companies, serving as CEO, selling pharmaceuticals and foliage growth technologies. He came to Muscatine in 1991 to work for GPC as World Marketing Development Manager. He was a scratch golfer for most of his life and could shoot below his age into his 80’s. He was club champion at numerous clubs in Sweden and the US, with 16 certified holes-in-one. He played rounds of golf with Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Sir Nick Faldo, actors Sir Sean Connery and Howard Keel, singer Johnny Mathis and many others. He is a former Iowa State amateur champion and was a beloved member of the Geneva Golf Club. He was also a semi-professional rugby player in the UK and Sweden. He was a lifelong fanatic of Manchester United Football Club and, thanks to his brother’s historic connections to the club, Mike would interact at games, and functions, such as celebrity golf matches, with the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Matt Busby, Sir Bobby Charlton, Dennis Law, George Best, Willie Morgan, Steve McClaren and other United legends.  Mike adored his family and each of us have marvelous memories of sitting with him, usually with a cup of tea in hand, listening to his wonderous stories and captivating tales from his extraordinary life. 

 

Mike, aka The Big Cheese, will be deeply missed by his children, Michael Riley and his wife, Carol of Bristol, Rhode Island; Mark Riley and his wife, Alison, of Tallahassee, Florida; Martin Riley and his wife, Joanne, of Salford, England; Rachel Riley, and her husband, Armando Castanon, of Muscatine; and Sean Riley, and his wife, Jennifer, of Muscatine; 14 grandchildren, Danielle, Dominique, Michael, Patrick, Daniel, Jonathan, Alyssa, Meghyn,  Alexandria, Samuel,  Rory, Aubryana, Devyn, Ciaran; 15 great grandchildren, Olyver, Izabelle, Ridley, Winter, Thomas, Diesel, Leah, Wulfie, Nora, Axton, Benjamin, Alexander, Tiilly-Mae, Brielle, Matthew, and another great grandchild plus a great great grandchild on the way!

 

The family would like to thank Erna Peperkamp for her wonderful friendship and companionship during the last two years of his life.

 

Michael was preceded in death by his parents; and his brother, the renowned Salford artist Harold Francis Riley.

 

RIP Dad, Granddad, Great Granddad, soon to be Great Great Granddad, Brother-in-Law to Ashraf, Uncle to Kate and Sara, and Great Uncle to Hannalore, Luke and Saffron, we will cherish our precious times together forever. Thank you! Peace and love! <3