Byron G Riley Jr.
Byron G. Riley Jr.
Louisville, Colo.
Byron G. Riley Jr. (Buck) of Louisville, Colo., died peacefully Dec. 4, 2023. Buck was born Dec. 7, 1930, in Burlington, Iowa, the son of Thelma and Byron Riley. He had two sisters, Eileen and Mary Ann. He spent his childhood in Burlington. He went to the New York World’s Fair in 1939 and played on his high school golf team.
Buck attended the University of Iowa, receiving his BS degree in Commerce in 1952 and his Law degree in 1957. He was in ROTC and served as a
lieutenant in the Air Force during the Korean War.
He met his future wife, Sylvia Gilbert, on a blind date. They were married in 1953, and celebrated 61 years of marriage. Sylvia died in 2015.
Buck is survived by six children. Randy (Debbie) of Coto de Caza, Calif., Karel Boswell (Bob) of Boulder, Colo., Suzy (Dan Knoedler) of Sheboygan, Wis., Peter of Dallas, John (Pam) of Denver, and David (Patty) of Denver; 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Buck loved golf, cheering on the Iowa football and basketball teams, bridge, green beer on St. Patrick’s Day, hiking and walking. He was a devoted father and attended countless football games and track and cross country meets. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved being the life of the party. He walked for over 20 years to All Saints Church to attend 6:45 a.m. Mass.
Buck and Sylvia enjoyed their condo in Door County, Wis., and enjoyed many vacations in Keystone Co. They traveled extensively to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the Caribbean. They moved to Colorado in 2012 to be closer to family.
Buck’s legal career started in Cedar Rapids in 1957 and continued until he was 82. He started his own firm, Bradley and Riley, in 1981. Proudly, Buck mentored many attorneys and staff, and there are 31 attorneys at the firm today. His clients included Rockwell Collins and United Fire Group, where he served on the Board of Directors for over 20 years. He was the past President of the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Elks Club. He belonged to Cedar Rapids Country Club and was well-known for his excellent putting, using a 1950s wooden shafted putter for over 60 years.
A memorial will be held at a later date.
Contributions can be made in his name to The University of Iowa College of Law or the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.