Ralph Merlin Riley Sr.

Ralph Merlin Riley was born December 26, 1922 in Houston and passed away on December 26, 2013 in Houston at the age of 91. He is preceded in death by his wife of 65 years Margaret Rae Riley, son Ralph Michael Riley, and daughter Martha Jane Riley. He is survived by his son Ralph Merlin Riley II, numerous nieces, nephews, and many loving friends.

Ralph graduated from Jeff Davis High School in Houston. In 1941, shortly after Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the United States Navy where he served as a hospital corpsman with the Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater of Operations. During his service in World War II, he saw action during the battles of Midway, Okinawa, and Ie Shima. At the end of the war he was assigned to occupational duty in Japan where, as a hospital corpsman, his service included providing medical care for victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After World War II he continued his military service in the Naval Reserve and was then called back to full duty in 1965 until 1967 during Vietnam. He retired from combined active duty and reserve military service in 1981 after serving his country proudly for 40 years.

Ralph was also employed with the U.S. Postal Service as a mail carrier for 38 years. During the majority of his postal career, he worked out of the Oak Forest Station in Houston, TX. Following his postal retirement, he and his wife Rae moved from Houston to Gonzales, TX where they lived for 20 years until her passing in November, 2012 whereupon he returned to Houston. Ralph Riley was a dedicated husband and father, a fierce patriot of The Greatest Generation, a true friend--- loved and respected by his family and all who had the honor of knowing him.