William (Bill) M. Riley, Jr.

William M. Riley, Jr. (Bill), 75, of Lilburn GA passed away on Tuesday October 20, 2020. He was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Sheryl Riley. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Vann and Christi Riley of Johns Creek; son, Shane Riley of Los Angeles, CA; grandchildren, Brayden, Grant, and Blake; and partner, Carole Harrison of Buford. Bill was born October 6, 1945 in Augusta, GA the only child to parents William and Lynda Riley. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1969 with a Degree in Pharmacy, where he was a proud member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. Bill served in the US Army before beginning his career in Pharmacy behind the counter. What he most enjoyed was teaching and coaching others which led to larger roles managing and instructing in the pharmacy industry. He took great pride in seeing his associates grow in their careers, and he kept up with many of them throughout their lives even into his retirement. Bill was a long-time member of Smoke Rise Baptist Church where he served on various committees. For many years he was a Sunday morning greeter welcoming and guiding others to their places within the church each week. Bill loved his family, corvettes, bird watching, collecting watches, and, of course, Georgia football where he attended games regularly on Fall Saturdays, having never missed a Georgia-Georgia Tech game since 1960. His three grandsons were his real pride, and he loved attending sports events and music concerts when they were involved. Bill touched many souls and never met a stranger. He will be remembered for his kindness and humor which were felt among so many friends and loved ones. He felt failure was not an option and a positive attitude was paramount to overcoming life’s challenges. He was a man who knew a little bit about most things and loved to share it with others, giving advice to anyone seeking it. The family will receive friends between 6 pm and 8 pm on Thursday, October 22, 2020, at A.S. Turner & Sons, Decatur, GA. Due to COVID restrictions, only 25 people are allowed inside the gathering room at a time. A funeral service will be held at 11 am, Friday, October 23, 2020 at Smoke Rise Baptist, 5901 Hugh Howell Road, Stone Mountain, GA 30087. Due to COVID restrictions, only 200 will be allowed in the sanctuary. The Service will also be streamed live, a link to the service will be added to this post when available. Interment will follow at Floral Hills Memory Gardens, Tucker, GA 30084. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that people make donations to the Smoke Rise Baptist Music Ministry. In following COVID mandates, masks are required during the visiting hours and during the funeral service. A.S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.