John Howard Riley, aged 79, passed away on Wednesday, June 10th, his family awaiting his arrival en route to Cobleskill Regional Hospital in Cobleskill, NY. Known as John, Howard, Howie, Dad, and Papa Riley, he will be remembered fondly by many. At the time of his passing, he had been a resident of Jefferson, NY, for 20 years.

Born on March 10th, 1947, in Brooklyn, NY, Howard was the second of three children from the late Edward and Alice (Lawless) Riley. Edward worked on the docks of Long Island in World War II, and Alice was an elevator operator. That same summer, with the book "5 Acres and Independence" and the money they saved up, Ed and Alice moved their family from the streets of Glendale and bought a 77-acre property in Wallkill, NY, establishing a family farm where Howard would live for most of his life.

Growing up in rural upstate New York, Howard became quite enamored with farm life. He dedicated time to his local 4-H and helped his parents care for animals, specifically cows, chickens, and horses. He would drive his tractor around often, helping his neighbors with odd jobs for money, which he saved for college. The family would host visits from their relatives in the City, and his mother enjoyed throwing parties. Howard had many pleasant and funny memories of his childhood, including when his mother made maple syrup, which caused all the wallpaper in the house to peel off the walls.

In 1965, Howard graduated from John G. Borden High School and earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from SUNY Oneonta in 1969. He later obtained a Masters in Educational Administration at SUNY New Paltz. While in college, he met some of his life-long friends and made many lasting memories. While working as a lifeguard at the local Girl Scout Camp in the Summer of 1967, he met the love of his life, Sharon Schulz. They grew close, often writing love letters to each other, and were married in Woodstock, NY, on August 21st, 1971. They were married for 54 blissful years. They moved back to Wallkill and got to work building a house for their family, right next to Howard's childhood Home.

Howard and Sharon raised three incredible children: Alan, Alice, and Patricia. He was very proud of his children and their amazing accomplishments. Alan served as an Intelligence Officer in the US Navy, Alice attended the University of Hartford to earn a BA and later Syracuse University to earn her MSLIS, and Patricia moved to and became a citizen of the Netherlands and works as a translator. John worked a few different jobs while raising his family, working first in New York Correctional Facilities, then the Division for Youth (DFY), before becoming Vice Principal at Ulster BOCES, a job he took much pride in. For his entire life, Howard had dogs, which he adored, and owned many throughout his life. He took his family on memorable camping trips at Disney World. Shortly after his retirement in 2001, Howard and his wife moved north, settling on a smaller farm in Jefferson, NY, where he spent the last 20 years of his life. He became an involved member of the community, especially of the Sacred Heart Parish in Stamford.

While he loved the privacy of his farm, Howard cherished visits from his neighbors, friends, and family. He took particular interest in his grandson, whom he called frequently, and heavily supported his journey through college. He had passions for reading, specifically science fiction and history, playing the harmonica and the concertina, camping, cooking, walking, and biking, and adored hosting gatherings and socializing with whomever would listen. He was a devout Catholic, and he took pride in his Irish Heritage, celebrating Irish Traditions and gatherings. In his final years, he was in good spirits and spent his time driving, reading, and tinkering with things on the farm. He touched many people's lives in a positive and impactful way.

Howard is survived by his loving wife, Sharon, two daughters: Alice (Bradford) Leach of Hyde Park, NY, and Patricia Riley (Mark Stijman) of Gouda, The Netherlands, one grandson: Douglas Leach of Hyde Park, NY, two brothers: Jim (Barb) Riley of The Villages, FL, and Tom (Jacqui) Riley of Wallkill, NY, three nieces: Suzanne, Margaret, and Siobhan, one nephew: Matt, four grand-nephews, one grand-nice, one great-grand niece, and his loyal dog, Beau. He was predeceased by his parents, Ed and Alice, and his beloved son, Alan Riley, whom he has finally been reunited with in Heaven.

No formal funeral services will be held, at Howard's request, instead a celebration of life party will be held for friends and family, at a later date.