Longtime Reading resident Alan Riley, age 74, died peacefully on March 23, 2012, at Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers after an extended illness. Alan was born on December 30, 1937, the youngest of three children of the late Orrin Riley and Dorothy (Donahue) Riley of Haverhill. He attended Haverhill High School and was a graduate of the class of 1955. It was during high school that he met his lifelong love and wife of 45 years, Judith Ann (Ellison) Riley, originally of Peabody, MA. After graduating as an English major from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1959 and serving honorably in the United States Air Force, Alan returned home and in 1966 he and Judy married. Soon after they moved into their home on Milton Rd., where they built a life together and raised a son, Todd A. Riley, currently of Chicago, Ill., and a daughter, Elizabeth J. (Riley) currently of Corrales, New Mexico. Alan enjoyed a successful career in the media industry, including early work as a radio announcer for WHAV in Haverhill, and as a Writer/Editor/Producer for WHDH. He went on to attain posts as Producer and Executive News Producer for local network affiliates WCVB-TV and WNEV-TV in Boston. Later, he worked as a Media Product manager for WSI Corp. of Bedford, Mass., and in retirement as a Recordings Monitor for Minutemen Talking Books of Nashua, N.H. A lifelong lover of music, he sang bass in the church choir at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading, of which he was a member, for over 25 years. He and Judy also enjoyed singing with their friends at Reading Community Singers for more than 10 years. He will always be remembered for his kind heart, gentle nature, and wry sense of humor. Alan is survived by his wife and children, his son in-law, Christopher A. Medina, adoring grandchildren, Cassandra and Joseph Medina, his sister, Janice P. (Riley) Van Riper of Vineyard Haven, Mass., brother Orrin Riley and sister in-law Fran Riley of New York, New York, and several nephews and nieces.
ARRANGEMENTS: A memorial celebration of his life with reception to follow will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading on Saturday, April 7, at 11 a.m. A private interment will be held at Linwood Cemetery in Haverhill. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Church 239 Woburn St. Reading MA 01867. On line condolences may be given at www.johnbdouglassfuneralhome.com.
