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James Riley

October 28, 2017
Worthing, England, MI

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James E. "Jim" Riley, passed away Saturday, October 28, 2017, in Worthing, England. He was born in 1932 in Russiaville, Indiana. At age four, he moved with his parents to Iron Mountain, Michigan. He received a B.A. degree from Western Michigan University in 1953 with a major in mathematics education and also a commission as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He was immediately called to duty as an artillery officer and served for four years in West Germany. Following his army service, he began working on his M.S. degree in mathematics education at WMU, which he completed the following year. He accepted a mathematics teaching position at Kalamazoo Central High School, beginning fall 1959. In 1960, he joined the faculty of WMU's Department of Mathematics and soon began the doctorate program in mathematics education at Michigan State University, completing his Ph.D. in 1970. He advanced through the ranks to retire in 1998 as Professor Emeritus of Mathematics. He was very passionate about teaching mathematics to elementary school teachers. He enthusiastically promoted passenger train travel in America. His artistic talents were expressed in counted cross-stitch, quilting, and pen-and-ink drawings. In 1980 he married Linda, nee Babcock. After Jim's retirement, Jim and Linda moved permanently to England, where he developed an interest in Sudoku and published 14 books of Sudoku puzzles. Jim is survived by his wife, Linda, his brother, John, living in Muskegon, and by his daughters Lisa and Jennifer, living in the Netherlands. Memorial services have taken place.