Paul V. Riley

– Paul V. Riley, 81, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, October 20, 2025, in Beverly, Massachusetts. Born in Winchester in 1943, Paul was the son of the late George J. Riley and Dorothy G. (Cronin) Riley. He grew up in Reading and graduated from Reading High School before earning his degree from Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Paul began his career with Structural Systems before proudly serving in the U.S. Army, where he studied the Vietnamese language in El Paso, Texas, and later deployed to Vietnam, earning a Bronze Star for his service. Upon returning home, he started his own business and spent many years working in association with Quinn Brothers of Essex, Massachusetts.

A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Paul found his greatest joy in time spent with family. He was endlessly proud of his grandchildren—Alice, Jack, Riley, and Owen—each of whom held a special place in his heart. He especially loved that his autistic grandson Riley shared not only his birthday but also his love of trains. Paul was a lifelong rail enthusiast and an active member of several organizations, including the Bristol S Gauge Railroaders, the Rutland Railroad Historical Society, the Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society, and the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railroad Museum. His deep knowledge and craftsmanship in model railroading were widely admired—he was particularly proud of winning Best in Show at the 1972 NASG Convention for his hand-built covered bridge.

A man of many interests, Paul was a loyal New England Patriots fan and an avid NASCAR follower. He loved music—especially teaching himself, and eventually his sister Lee, to play guitar and delighting his family with renditions of The Marvelous Toy, Morningtown Ride, and Puff the Magic Dragon. His sweet tooth was legendary, with Cherry Jubilee Pie, Putnam Pantry’s Jelly Slices, and Hermits among his favorites.

Paul and his beloved wife, Maureen, shared a spirit of adventure, traveling together across the country to national parks and abroad to Alaska, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. He cherished lively conversations with friends, monthly poker games, game nights, and train layout work sessions. Ever generous with his time and talents, Paul used his engineering skills to help design and build home additions for family and friends.

He will be dearly missed by his wife, Maureen L. Riley; his children, Dawn and her husband Bill Hanigan, and their children Alice, Jack, Riley, and Owen; and his son Matthew Riley and his partner Kate Gallagher. He is also survived by his brother David and his wife Patricia Riley, his sister Marcia (Lee) Riley and her husband Karl Jansons, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Paul will also be missed by his faithful feline companion, Martini, who loved sharing her chair with him and getting “scutches.”

In lieu of flowers, donations in Paul’s memory may be made to Autism Speaks (autismspeaks.org) or the Pine Street Inn (pinestreetinn.org).

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Paul V. Riley, please visit our floral store.