John W. Riley

John W. Riley, 82, of Taylors, SC, passed away on August 9, 2023. He was born on July 24, 1941, to the late John and Laura Riley. John was a kind, loving, creative, and passionate individual who had an unparalleled love and pride for his family and friends.
John is survived by his son, Sean (Silvia) Riley, his daughter, Tirissa (Alan) Johnson, his sister, Penny (Gregg) Orlowski, his brother, Michael (Mary) Riley, his sister, Marla (Lowell) Borgan, his grandson, Alfred Dorris Jr., his granddaughter, Ashlyn Johnson, his grandson, Tyler Johnson, four great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews and a special friend Maxine Bennett of Laurens, SC . He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy Riley (Knudsen), and his brother, Melvin Riley.
John attended Horlick High School in Racine, WI. He started his career at Racine Hydraulics, later known as Parker Hydraulics, where he worked for over 30 years. He began as a draftsman, became a hydraulics engineer, and eventually became a leading sales representative covering a large portion of the United States, as well as South America and Europe.
John worshipped at the Mountain View Global Methodist Church in Taylors, SC. He found solace and strength in his faith and his church family.
In his spare time, John had a natural talent for all things mechanical and technical. He was always working on or building something, with his lifelong passion being the restoration of classic and antique cars. This passion and love were passed on to many family members. John's warmth, love, smile, and sense of humor would light up a room everywhere he went. He made countless friends along the way whom he cared for deeply.
A memorial service will be held at Mountain View Global Methodist Church, located at 6525 Mountain View Rd, Taylors, SC, on September 2, 2023, at 11:00 am.
In memory of John Riley, donations can be made to the charity of your choosing.