Thomas (Tom, Uncle T) Riley passed away at the age of 89 on December 19, 2024. Tom was born to Sarah Gallagher on November 25, 1935. He was named after his father, Thomas Wolcott.
Growing up in the Bronx he attended Cardinal Hayes High School. He left school early to take care of his mother, but later completed his GED.
Tom married Kathleen (Kathy/Mary Kay) Fitzpatrick in 1957. He worked for Union Carbide first in NYC and after moving his family to South River NJ, at their Bound Brook plant working in computer operations. He took early retirement and he and Kathy moved to Jacksonville in 1991. Tom continued to work in computer operations ultimately taking his second retirement from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida.
Tom’s interests included an early obsession with the Brooklyn Dodgers, creating the perfect lawn, model trains, but mainly movies. He had a remarkable collection and an almost encyclopedic knowledge of Hollywood classics. These movies helped form many of his life‘s lessons.
After nearly 30 years in their custom home on Palm Way in Jacksonville Beach, Tom and Kathy moved to The Palms of Ponte Vedra in 2023. Kathy, a loving vibrant woman and dedicated mother passed just 7 months later on September 2, 2023.
He is survived by his son, Michael (April) Riley; daughter, Suzanne Riley (Robert/Bob) Love; step-granddaughter, Joie Love Harman; two great-grandsons: Danny Harman and Ethan Riley Harman; step-grandson, Jonathan Crawford; and great-grandson, Max Crawford.
Tom wanted a cremation and to be interred at the family columbarium at the Ponte Vedra Valley Cemetery. The family requests no flowers, but if a memoriam is desired, his charity of choice was Wolfson Children's Hospital.
