Herbert A. Riley

Funeral Mass for Deacon Herbert Andrew Riley, 89, of Biwabik, will be 11am Monday February 13, 2012 at St. John's Catholic Church in Biwabik. Visitation will be Sunday from 1-3pm with a prayer service at 2:30pm at Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Gilbert. Visitation will also continue for one hour prior to the mass at church. Burial with military honors by the Aurora/Hoyt Lakes Color Guard will be in the Lakeside Cemetery in Biwabik. Memorials are preferred. Deacon Riley died Thursday, February 9, 2012 at the Northern Pines Medical Center in Aurora. He was born April 2, 1922 in Biwabik, MN to Nicholas and Mary (Glasser) Riley. Herb was a 1940 graduate of Biwabik High School and later enlisted with the US Air Force in 1942. Following WWII, he was employed by Republic Aircraft as a technical representative to the Yugoslavian Air Force in Belgrade. He re-enlisted with the Air Force and served for 25 years during the Korean and Vietnam Conflicts. During this time he was selected as a member of the US Air Force Thunderbirds and traveled throughout the US and many foreign countries. Following his military service he returned to Biwabik and went to work at Erie Mining Company. He was ordained as a Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Church in 1981 and served in parishes in Biwabik, Eveleth and Virginia. he retired as a Deacon in 2007. Herb was a member of the Knights of Columbus and St. John's Catholic Church. Survivors include his sister, Colleen Klessig of Biwabik; brothers, Bernard Riley of Longview, WA and Nicholas (Ann) Riley of Wickenburg, AZ; many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Mary Glass, Lucille Talus, Kathryn Racek and Frances Riley; brothers, Thomas and Joseph.