Donn C. Riley | Professor, 76

Donn C. Riley, 76, of Rosemont and Clearwater, Fla., a professor at West Chester University for 33 years, died of lung cancer Thursday at home in Rosemont.

Dr. Riley joined the history department at West Chester in 1966, and chaired the department in the 1970s. He developed outlines for courses on Western civilization, President Warren G. Harding, and the first 1,000 years of Christianity. He was the first professor at West Chester to use a computer, his wife, Dorothy Tynan Riley, said and taught computer science and accounting. He retired in 1999.

Dr. Riley grew up in St. Louis. He earned a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and doctorate in history from St. Louis University. For two years, he served in the Air Force in the States and was in the Air Force Reserve at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station until the mid-1960s.

For six years, before going to West Chester, Dr. Riley taught at Villanova University, where he met his future wife, who was then a graduate student.

Dr. Riley was past president of the Rosemont Elementary School. A longtime Republican committeeman in Radnor, he campaigned for political candidates and was past president of the Anthony Wayne Society, a conservative club in West Chester.

He was an aviation enthusiast and taught his son Michael to fly. He also enjoyed sailing in Florida.

In addition to his wife of 45 years and son, Dr. Riley is survived by sons Paul and James; a sister; and eight grandchildren.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. today at St. Thomas of Villanova Chapel, where Dr. Riley was a Sunday greeter, 1229 W. Lancaster Ave., Rosemont. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken.