Riley, Joseph W.

Joseph “Joey” William Riley

Grove City, Ohio

Feather Location: Row E, #08

Grove City Record /  Mark Dubovec                                                                                                                        

…Staff Sgt. Justin Graham eulogized Riley, saying he had the most potential as a paratrooper of any he's ever led and called him the "best of us." "Riley never took the small things for granted," Graham said. "You will always be missed, and you will always be my brother."Graham said Riley was one of the most self-motivated individuals he's ever known and someone whose voice, smile and laugh he will never forget."Riley brought out the best in me," he said. "In a world of astronauts and astronomers, he was an astronaut, always reaching for the stars."

Tom Wright, pastor of Riley's home church of Memorial Baptist Church in Columbus, said Riley was one of five boys born around the same time at the church. "His smile made you think he was the innocent one. He was not ... (but) those boys, you'd be proud to meet today," Wright said. "The Christian soldier who we're honoring today died with honor." Faith was important to Riley, Wright said. On Riley's visits home, the two met for Bible studies. Wright said the last thing Riley said to him was to tell everyone, if anything happened to him, he was OK…

Among those who stood outside for Riley's homecoming were his former co-workers with the city's services department, where after graduating from Capital University he worked in the forestry department, planting and removing trees, before he enlisted in the Army in 2012. "We're very proud of him," said urban forester Jodee Lowe. "He's a good kid. He lightened the mood, always had a smile on his face." Lowe said Riley would come in every morning and eat cereal before starting his day. "He couldn't start his day until he got his bowl of cereal," she said. "Sometimes, the street guys would hide his box." …

Carver:  Jack Pace is retired and carves with the Washington Township Carvers (near Dublin Ohio)

Wood:  Buckeye