Charles A Riley III

He was born July 24, 1931 in Pittsburg, PA, the son of Charles A. and Dorathy (Poppe) Riley, Jr. After graduating from high school in 1949, he went on to earn his undergraduate degree in Physics from Carnegie-Mellon University, and then his Master of Science degree from the University of Michigan and his Ph.D from the Iowa State University, where he studied Mathematics. He married his first wife and mother of his children, Robin Springett on March 28, 1959; the two shared thirty-one years together before she passed away in 1990. He married his second wife, Janet Toko, with whom he spent seven years until she died in 2003. In recent years, Charles enjoyed the companionship of his dear friend, Irene Muir, who lives in Bow, NH.

Kindness, compassion, and a commitment to humanist ideals and education were values which he hoped to instill in his children and grandchildren, and also brought to the hundreds of students he taught as a professor at Keene State College. He had a deep appreciation for the arts, especially instrumental music. He loved to play his trumpet and volunteered his time to play old standards at nursing homes in the Monadnock Region. Charles was a gifted mathematician who researched in the field of topology. His quiet demeanor and gentle spirit were complemented by his dry sense of humor, all of which were a source of joy and comfort to those closest to him.

He is survived by his four children: Kate Tolman of Keene; Daniel Riley of Middlesex, VT; Jessica Bigaj and her husband, Stephen, of Keene; and Andrea Riley and her husband, Eric Mithen, of Anacortes, WA; and by seven grandchildren: Aaron Tolman and his wife Adria, Kitty Tolman, Robin Bigaj, Ben Bigaj, Samuel “Tucker” Riley, John Mithen and Charles Mithen, and two great-grandchildren: Joseph and Emma. He is also survived by his brother, Dennis Riley and his wife, Jo, of Florida and several nieces, nephews and extended family members.

Please join family and friends for a remembrance gathering on Wednesday, May 25th from 4:00-6:00 pm at the Drummer Hill Community House at 6 Meetinghouse Road in Keene. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the Peter Jenkins Scholarship Fund at Keene State College in memory of Charles. Checks should be made out to Keene State College with the Jenkins Scholarship noted on the memo and mailed to Advancement Office, KSC - 2701, 229 Main St, Keene NH 03435.