Tommy R. Riley

Tommy R. Riley, a man who could turn the mundane into the extraordinary, passed away on June 19, 2025, at his residence in Milan, IL, just a stone's throw away from the fishing spots he frequented. Born on March 26, 1957, in Vandalia, MO, Tommy made quite the splash (both figuratively and literally) during his lifetime, leaving behind a legacy that includes shamelessly frequenting the slot machines alongside his wife, Lisa Fuller, whom he married on July 23, 2004, in Rock Island, IL.

Tommy was a proud Marine who served from 1974 to 1976. He earned not just his stripes but also the rifleman and sharpshooting badge, a testament to his shooting skills.

After serving his country, he dedicated 35 years of his life to working for the Peterson Parking Lot Striping Company, retiring in 2018. One can only imagine the sheer joy of finally hanging up his parking lot stripes after decades of marking boundaries—almost as exciting as plopping down the last quarter in a slot machine.

When he wasn't dedicating his finely-tuned motor skills to perfecting the art of parking lot decorum, Tommy was busy with one of his many hobbies—fishing. Tommy adored catfishing, cheekily admitting that he loved "the fight." It wasn't just the thrill of reeling in a big one; it was about showing those fish who's boss and perhaps throwing in a little extra splash for drama.

A devoted family man, Tommy had an affinity for spoiling his beloved dog, Libby, with treats, affection, and possibly even some questionable fashion choices. He also had a gigantic heart for his children and stepchildren, with names that could fill a phone book: Christopher (fiance, Sharon) Riley, Noelle (Chad) Devereaux, Jonathon Riley, Jessica (Chris) Hollett, Corey Riley, Joshua (Faith) Jones, Abigail (Anthony) Wence, and Charlene (Chris) Remaly—each of whom he loved wholeheartedly, even if he sometimes struggled to remember the individual names during family gatherings.

As if that wasn't enough of a family tree to climb, he was also the proud grandparent of numerous grandchildren, including Alice, Jude, Mackenzie, Justin, Kory, Cecelia, Gracie Jo, Mackayla, Aiden, Oliver, Joshua (Brett), Annaliese, Damian, Rowena, Rylan, Racheal, Elliana and a great grandson, Theo.

He had an uncanny ability to help family, friends, and even strangers in need, earning him the title of the unofficial community handyman—even if he had to Google how to fix things occasionally.

Tommy leaves behind his wife, Lisa; dogs, Libby and Brody; his children, stepchildren, grandchildren, great-grandchild, and a multitude of siblings, including, Mike (Roxy) Riley, Colona, IL, David (Kathy) Riley, Moline, IL, Rosemary (Mike) Griffiths, Moline, IL, Anna (Jim) Stanton, Colona, IL, Hershel Riley, Moline, IL, Rita (Carey) Coverdill, East Moline, IL, Linda Riley, Colona, IL, Ruth (Brock) Coverdill, Colona, IL.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Gloria (Leu) Riley, and his brother Kenneth Riley.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 22, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Wendt Funeral Home in Moline, IL, followed by a funeral service on Monday, June 23, 2025, starting at 11:00 AM at Wendt Funeral Home, Moline. Inurnment will be in Greenview Memorial Gardens, East Moline, IL. Memorials may be made in Tommy’s honor to the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association.

The man may be gone, but there will surely be plenty of stories, laughter, and whimsical memories shared by those lucky enough to have known him.

Family and friends are invited to share memories and condolences on his Memory Wall at wendtfuneralhome.com.