Obituary for John Dawn Riley
John D. Riley, 81, of Lubbock, passed away on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
Viewing will be 11:00 am-6:00 pm Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at Englunds,
followed by a visitation, 6-7:00 pm. Arrangements are under the direction of
Englunds Funeral Service of Slaton. Visitation will be 9-10:00 am Friday, March 22,
2024, followed by a Celebration of Life at 10:00 am at Finch Funeral Chapel in
Yorktown. Interment will follow at Nordheim Cemetery next to his wife, in
Nordheim, Texas, with Military Honors. Arrangements are under the direction of
Finch Funeral Chapel in Yorktown, Texas.
John was born in Gatesville, Texas on August 17, 1942. He was the third son and
fifth child of James S. and Eton Johnson Riley. John was a 1960 graduate of
Gatesville I. S. D. and then attended Navarro Junior College in Corsicana, on a
basketball scholarship from 1960-1962. Continuing his education, he graduated
from SWTXC in San Marcos in 1965. John married his college sweetheart, Barbara
(Bobbie) Wagner of Nordheim, Texas on January 29, 1966, at St. Michaels Catholic
Church in Runge, Texas. Pursuing a career in Pharmacy, he attended UT in Austin
and graduated with a Pharmacy Degree in January of 1968.
John was drafted into the Army in July of 1968 in Dallas and did basic training in
Ft. Polk, Louisiana. He was then stationed at Vint Hill Farms Station in Warrenton,
Virginia with the Army Security Agency. In November of 1969, John was deployed
to the Republic of Vietnam, serving in Binh Dinh Province as a Pharmacist/Medic.
He was discharged as an E-5 on July 3, 1970. John often said, “I am proud to be an
American, but prouder to be a Texan”.
John and Bobbie moved from Austin to Lubbock in 1975 and purchased Fee
Pharmacy on 34 th Street, and the Pharmacy was sold in 1989. John then worked as
a pharmacist for the Lubbock State School from 1989-1998. John continued to do
relief work throughout West Texas, before retiring in 2022 after 54 years as a
pharmacist. John loved playing golf frequently until 2016, when cancer surgery
made it no longer possible. John was a member of Christ the King Cathedral in
Lubbock.
John had many friends that he loved and respected. He wanted to take the
opportunity to thank the following people for their friendship, Gene Rush,
Levelland, Henry Ager, Livingston, Richard Wilhelm and Yoland Dollar,
Brownwood and Roy Murray of Burnet; as well as other special friends Henry
Domingues and family, Martha Bush and family, Ron and Jill Rogers and family,
Nita Blackburn and the Spoon family, all of Lubbock.
John’s lifelong friends include Jan Shelton, Gatesville, Linda Schmeltekopf, Kyle,
and his special college friend, Bill Klaevemann, Yorktown. Others he considered
family are Ralph and Ann Schmidt, New Braunfels, Greg and Shelly Schmidt,
Amarillo, and especially Leslie Schmidt, Houston, and David E. and Fran Ehler,
Lubbock. He was blessed to have some special people in his life to influence his
early education and dreams. Thank you to John P. Reesing RPH, and Jack Jackson
Jr., both formerly of Gatesville.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife; his sisters, Doris DeMilia and
Ellen Lam, and his brother, Gene Riley, all of Gatesville.
John is survived by his sons, David Riley and his wife, Megan and Jeff Riley and his
wife, Lori, all of Dallas; his brother, Jim Riley and his wife, Linda of Bulverde; his
granddaughters, Lilly, Bridgett and Violet Riley; his brothers-in-law, Jim Wagner
and family of the Metroplex and Steve Wagner and family of San Marcos; his
sister-in law, Jerry Riley of Gatesville; and numerous nieces and nephews that he
dearly loved. John wanted to mention a special thanks to the Wagner Clan of
DeWitt County, Texas for always being so welcoming all these years.
In lieu of flowers, and in consideration of having to travel, the family request that
donations be made to Nordheim Cemetery or a charity of your choice.
Viewing will be 11:00 am-6:00 pm Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at Englunds,
followed by a visitation, 6-7:00 pm. Arrangements are under the direction of
Englunds Funeral Service of Slaton. Visitation will be 9-10:00 am Friday, March 22,
2024, followed by a Celebration of Life at 10:00 am at Finch Funeral Chapel in
Yorktown. Interment will follow at Nordheim Cemetery next to his wife, in
Nordheim, Texas, with Military Honors. Arrangements are under the direction of
Finch Funeral Chapel in Yorktown, Texas.
John was born in Gatesville, Texas on August 17, 1942. He was the third son and
fifth child of James S. and Eton Johnson Riley. John was a 1960 graduate of
Gatesville I. S. D. and then attended Navarro Junior College in Corsicana, on a
basketball scholarship from 1960-1962. Continuing his education, he graduated
from SWTXC in San Marcos in 1965. John married his college sweetheart, Barbara
(Bobbie) Wagner of Nordheim, Texas on January 29, 1966, at St. Michaels Catholic
Church in Runge, Texas. Pursuing a career in Pharmacy, he attended UT in Austin
and graduated with a Pharmacy Degree in January of 1968.
John was drafted into the Army in July of 1968 in Dallas and did basic training in
Ft. Polk, Louisiana. He was then stationed at Vint Hill Farms Station in Warrenton,
Virginia with the Army Security Agency. In November of 1969, John was deployed
to the Republic of Vietnam, serving in Binh Dinh Province as a Pharmacist/Medic.
He was discharged as an E-5 on July 3, 1970. John often said, “I am proud to be an
American, but prouder to be a Texan”.
John and Bobbie moved from Austin to Lubbock in 1975 and purchased Fee
Pharmacy on 34 th Street, and the Pharmacy was sold in 1989. John then worked as
a pharmacist for the Lubbock State School from 1989-1998. John continued to do
relief work throughout West Texas, before retiring in 2022 after 54 years as a
pharmacist. John loved playing golf frequently until 2016, when cancer surgery
made it no longer possible. John was a member of Christ the King Cathedral in
Lubbock.
John had many friends that he loved and respected. He wanted to take the
opportunity to thank the following people for their friendship, Gene Rush,
Levelland, Henry Ager, Livingston, Richard Wilhelm and Yoland Dollar,
Brownwood and Roy Murray of Burnet; as well as other special friends Henry
Domingues and family, Martha Bush and family, Ron and Jill Rogers and family,
Nita Blackburn and the Spoon family, all of Lubbock.
John’s lifelong friends include Jan Shelton, Gatesville, Linda Schmeltekopf, Kyle,
and his special college friend, Bill Klaevemann, Yorktown. Others he considered
family are Ralph and Ann Schmidt, New Braunfels, Greg and Shelly Schmidt,
Amarillo, and especially Leslie Schmidt, Houston, and David E. and Fran Ehler,
Lubbock. He was blessed to have some special people in his life to influence his
early education and dreams. Thank you to John P. Reesing RPH, and Jack Jackson
Jr., both formerly of Gatesville.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife; his sisters, Doris DeMilia and
Ellen Lam, and his brother, Gene Riley, all of Gatesville.
John is survived by his sons, David Riley and his wife, Megan and Jeff Riley and his
wife, Lori, all of Dallas; his brother, Jim Riley and his wife, Linda of Bulverde; his
granddaughters, Lilly, Bridgett and Violet Riley; his brothers-in-law, Jim Wagner
and family of the Metroplex and Steve Wagner and family of San Marcos; his
sister-in law, Jerry Riley of Gatesville; and numerous nieces and nephews that he
dearly loved. John wanted to mention a special thanks to the Wagner Clan of
DeWitt County, Texas for always being so welcoming all these years.
In lieu of flowers, and in consideration of having to travel, the family request that
donations be made to Nordheim Cemetery or a charity of your choice.