A Happy, Happy Birthday to Katherine “Kate” Agnes Riley, who is the daughter of Joan Burggraf Riley and Stephen Francis Riley.

The day Kate was born was very pleasant with partly cloudy skies and a high temperature of 67 degrees. If you had the radio on in your car or at home, you couldn’t escape hearing Ebony and Ivory by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. Back then, when people actually listened to news broadcasts, the lead story would have been about the approaching war between the UK and Argentina over the Falkland Islands. At the time, big screen TV’s were considered huge at 19 inches, and On Golden Pond, Chariots of Fire, and Porky’s were the big movies of the day.

Happy Birthday, Kate! Have a good time and enjoy all the well wishes.

How did this happen?

It was an unusually mild day in Providence for a February 15th, when Stephen Francis Riley was born. The late Rita Patricia (Coleman) Riley (1917-1974) and the late Francis Charles Riley (1915-2004) welcomed their baby boy into the world and then brought him back to Pawtucket.

After graduating from St. Ray’s, it was on to Georgetown University where he received a Bachelor of Foreign Service. Then a few years later, Steve earned his law degree from Catholic University. Nowadays you can find Steve at the Potomac Community Resources, Inc. (PRC), where he is its Executive Director. If you have the time, click on this link ( https://pcr-inc.org ) to see the fine work of PRC.

Stephen and his wife Joan are living in the District of Columbia, where his eldest daughter Kate keeps both of them on the straight and narrow. Annie, their youngest daughter, lives on the West Coast, works globally and visits her parents and sister frequently.

Have a Happy Birthday, Steve. My guess is a nicely chilled chablis would go well with that tie.

Back on this day in 1931, “PJ” (1900-1985) and Margaret Riley’s (1900-1938) twin boys were born. William Francis (1931-1966) and James Augustus Riley (1931-2010) were identical twins . They looked like they should have graced the cover of the Saturday Evening Post.

*see blog post February 12, 2020

Kyle Clearwater Brown, was born on this date in Westerly, Rhode Island.# The youngest of Patricia Marguerite Riley Brown’s two sons, Kyle lives and works in the Pawtucket area.

A day. late, but Happy Birthday, Kyle!

*see blog post December 29, 2019

#corrected place of birth to Westerly

Francis Charles Riley , “Uncle Francis,” was born in Pawtucket on this date in 1915.* His mother and father were the late Marguetta Etta Greenhalgh (1876-1962) and the late Patrick Leo Riley (1875-1955). Uncle Francis was actually born at 146 Pond Street, not the “iconic number 19” that is so familiar to some of us.

This site has already written about Francis’s early life – the youngest of the eight Riley siblings, graduating from St. Raphael Academy, being a very good second baseman, marrying Rita Colemen in October of 1941 and entering the US Army just four months later and serving until 1945. And of course we cannot forget back in the early 50’s, the birth of their son, Stephen Francis.

What I fondly remember about “Uncle Frank” was how nice he always was. He had a great personality, seemed to love work and actually had this great wallpapering skill. I think he papered every room in our house on Perrin Avenue! What surprised some was how the guy could dance. Frank could glide across the dance floor as smoothly as a professional ice skater. It was neat to see him display his dance moves.

Francis and Rita were married for almost 33 years before Rita passed away on January 6, 1974. Francis passed on March 2, 2004 at the age of 88.

*see December 24, 2019 post

Kathleen Mary (McLoughlin) Riley has a Birthday today.*

Those who know Kathy realize that volumes could be written about her effervescence, her selflessness and the smile that lights up her pretty face. But, in keeping spirit with past discussions with Kathy, there will be no age or birth year references employed and no use of close up photography. I will delicately follow those suggestions as they will protect this administrator in any future court dates.

But I will through a bit of caution to the wind and state that:

Kathy embraces each day with enthusiasm determination

and as always, Kathy forges ahead to the future.

Yesterdays Mass had as a First Reading Proverbs 31, its words were so appropriate:

When one finds a worthy wife,
her value is far beyond pearls.
Her husband, entrusting his heart to her,
has an unfailing prize.
She brings him good, and not evil,
all the days of her life.

***********************************************

Happy Birthday Kath!

So blessed to have spent that “certain number” with you!

• see blog post for 11/16/2019

Gertrude C. Riley was born on this day in 1904, and passed away on October 22, 1999. Known to her nieces and nephews as “Aunt Gertie,” she had a distinguished 47 year career as an educator in the Pawtucket School Department. Aunt Gertie retired after serving the last 22 years as an elementary school principal.

Gertie flashing a bit of style in her day.