William Kenneth Riley “Ken”

William Kenneth Riley, fondly known as “Ken”, was born on March 25, 1942 in Ewing Virginia to the late Melvin Lloyd Riley and Nettie Riley (Fugate). He was the youngest of fourteen children. The family’s journey led them to settle in Morristown, TN when he was 7 years old; Ken would later go on to build his empire and legacy here.

Among family and friends, there was a running joke that Ken was blessed with “nine lives” after he gracefully survived a series of heart attacks and strokes. He was the embodiment of human resilience and demonstrated a palpable will to live. After enduring a multitude of illnesses, Ken entered his final resting place on May 22, 2024. 

Ken was educated in the Hamblen County public schools. Pineville School in Pineville, Tennessee (previously known as Miller Boyd Elementary) where he spent his early years, voted him “loudest in class and best in math.” He also attended Morristown College. Until the very end, Ken maintained many lifelong friendships that formed as early as elementary school.

During his teenage years, Ken relocated to Chicago, Illinois, where he entered the workforce and began developing his outstanding business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit. Earning a decent livelihood was not just a necessity for Ken, it was his earliest passion, inspired by his older brother, Daniel Chester Riley.

In young adulthood, Ken decided he wanted to build a business alongside maintaining employment. With $1,800 in his account he purchased his first tow truck and started a towing business. Shortly thereafter, he rented bays at a garage to repair cars. He would then go on to a buy a full garage to launch a business as a mechanic.

Ken’s work with cars was a success, yet he still thrived simultaneously as an employee at Pantry Pride food stores as a warehouse worker, until their stores closed in 1981. Additionally, in the 1980’s, he purchased an ice cream truck, which he hired someone to run in the summers.

While living in Chicago, Ken met and married his first wife, Maggie Jenkins. From this union, they were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Cheryl “Sherry” Riley. Ken quickly discovered that he loved being a dad. This union was amicably dissolved, and Maggie and Ken maintained a lifelong friendship. Sherry courageously battled a lifelong illness (Sickle Cell Anemia), and both Ken and Maggie were by her side, every step of the way, until the very end of Sherry’s journey on earth.

Ken later moved to Baltimore, Maryland. Here he not only built a thriving business, he was blessed with a second daughter, Michele Riley. He also went on to marry his second wife, Willia Mae Blevins Riley, also of Morristown, Tennessee. In Willia Mae he found not only a life partner, but an extension in his overall family unit. The Riley and Blevins families blended harmoniously, as one united front. Ken also loved having his daughters together, on weekends and summers. 

Having already accepted Christ at an early age, Ken formalized his commitment by being baptized in Baltimore, alongside his older sister, Charity Riley Collins. This was a special, albeit unexpected day for both of them. Ken invited his sister, Charity, to attend church, solely to witness his baptism,  but the Holy Spirit moved her to not only join the church, but to also get baptized that day. This is just one of many examples of how the Riley siblings moved in solidarity and unison, while empowering one another.

In 1990 at the age of 45, Ken retired and he and his wife, Willia Mae returned to their roots in Morristown, TN. He purchased a home just down the street from his older brother, George Riley. Around the same time, his siblings, Chester Daniel Riley, Milton “Mickey” Riley, and aforementioned sister, Charity, joined him with the purchases of their respective homes.

In Morristown, Ken continued to build his empire by investing in real estate, fixing, buying, and selling cars, some of which were antiques, purchasing a car lot, saving as much money as he could, and turning small amounts of money into large payouts. He was even an early adopter who invested in stock, which paid out handsome dividends. He also had an interest in purchasing and selling antiques, a skill and interest both he and his daughter Michele shared. In fact, Ken inspired Michele’s own entrepreneurial spirit.

After the death of his beloved wife, Willia Mae, in 2002, Ken poured himself even more into his business and leaned heavily on his hobbies. His love of cars kept him motivated, happy, and inspired to wake up early every day to pursue his dreams.

In 2004, Ken gained additional motivation for creating legacy by being blessed with the birth of his first and only son, William Bryant Riley, affectionately known as "Pooter". Getting to do parenthood again later in life and watching his son grow to adulthood was a great joy to him.

Family, friends, and even customers, clients, employees, advisors, and business partners brought a sense of wholeness and zest for living for Ken. He had a unique and very memorable personality, demeanor, and sense of humor as remarked by everyone who encountered him. He loved to joke around with everyone. 

Ken attended Toney’s Chapel, a church in Morristown, TN until his health failed. He was also very active in his community in many ways, including being formally awarded “top contributor” in 2019 with the Boys and Girls Club of Morristown.

In addition to his lifelong love of cars and running his business, Ken loved spending time with his family, friends, and loved ones, going to auctions, traveling, eating home-cooked, simple meals such as pinto beans and cornbread, listening to all kinds of music, including gospel and R&B, collecting things of interest, attending family events, and dressing sharp when the occasion presented itself. He also loved hearing about family news, successes, wins, and victories, and was often available to help others in their times of need.

In recent days there has been a colossal outpouring of love from those who knew him. The indelible mark he left will never leave our hearts or minds.

Ken is survived by his two children, daughter, Michele Riley of Ellicott City, Maryland and son, William Bryant Riley of Morristown, Tennessee; his granddaughter Torrie Riley of Fredericksburg, Virginia; his siblings Daniel Chester Riley, Milton Riley both of Morristown, Tennessee, and Mildred Yeary of Pottstown, Pennsylvania; a host of nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews, with a special mention of those with whom he was particularly close; Brenda Collins Perkins-Johnson, Sheila Yeary, and Daniel Chester Riley Jr.; his caregiver and special friend, Faye Wilson, her daughter Angie Henson (both of Morristown, TN), and their family, his fur baby, Sheba, his sweet little dog whom he called his third daughter (and shared custody with Faye), long-time family friends, Billy McIntosh of Phoenix, Arizona, and Morris Sherles of Morristown, Tennessee, and friend, Robert “Peaches” Cook. Ken will also be fondly remembered and missed by a host of cousins, distant but well-loved relatives, business collaborators, and numerous friends, all of whom meant a lot to him.

Ken is preceded in death by his parents, Melvin and Nettie Riley, daughter, Cheryl Riley, wife, Willia Mae, sisters Ethel Mae Kimbrow, Clydene Fugate, Marjorie Coles, Doris Saren, Isabelle McBride, Ruby Parkey, and Charity Riley Collins; and brothers Melvin "Joe" Riley, George Riley, and Grant Riley.