Anthony Gaines Riley, Jr, of Levelland, passed away on September 29, 2023, in Levelland, Texas.
Tony as he was known to family and friends, was born to Anthony Gaines Riley, Sr. and Ruth Moore Riley on October 10, 1942, in Morristown, Tennessee. His was an old pioneer family who traces their roots back to the year 1613 when his descendants arrived in Virginia from Britain on the good ship Treasuror.
Tony served in the United Sates Army for a total of 30 years in the Active Army, Army Reserve, and the Texas Army National Guard, retiring in 1993 in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He served in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade and made several deployments to Europe and Korea. Among his many awards and decorations were the Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (3 awards). Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and Texas Army National Guard Medal of Merit.
Tony graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. degree in Accounting, an MBA degree from Clemson University, and was a Certified Public Accountant licensed to practice in the Great State of Texas. He also held a Chartered Global Management Accountant certification.
He came to his adopted homeland of Texas in 1978 to work at the American Cotton Growers demin plant in Littlefield. He was also an adjunct and later full-time faculty member at South Plains College and in 1993 assumed the position of Vice President for Finance and Administration serving under three Presidents of College until his retirement in 2014. Tony was involved in Rotary, serving as president of Rotary Clubs in Littlefield and Levelland, also serving as president of The South Plains Chapter of The Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. His other favorite pursuits were music, reading, golf, running, and playing his trombone in the West Winds Brass Band.
He is preceded in death by his parent, Anthony G. Riley, Sr. and Ruth Moore Riley. He was survived by his wife Dorothy Kestler Riley, the love of his life and eternal soul mate; a sister, Bonny Riley Trevillian of Kingston, Tennessee; a son, Lee Riley of Lubbock; two daughters, Lydia Moreland and grandchildren, Peyton, Greyson and Jackson Austin; Wendy Esch and grandchildren Austen and Keely of Levelland.