Mr. Joseph William "Rex" Riley Jr.

Joseph William “Rex” Riley Jr, age 75, of Surry, VA passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, July 7, 2024. Whether you knew his as Butch, Rex or “Pop”, he never met a stranger.

Rex was born on June 26, 1949 in High Point, NC to Joseph W. “Red” and Helen Riley as the second of seven siblings. Growing up, Rex served his community by delivering newspapers, and was a volunteer fireman at Pinecroft Fire Department in Jamestown, NC. He graduated from Lucy Ragsdale High School in 1968 where he played trumpet and tuba in the high school band and served as the school bus driver.

After high school, Rex joined the armed forces and served in Vietnam under the 316th Tactical Airlift Wing of the Air Force as an aircraft technician. He was stationed at Cam Rahn Bay Air Base in South Vietnam and received the Air Force Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

After leaving active duty with the Air Force, Rex entered a project transition program where he was matched with an outside occupation and began work with Nuclear Services and Construction, a subsidiary of Newport News Shipbuilding, a forerunner to Huntington Ingalls. While there he was drafted into the crane inspection department. This would lead to Rex starting his own company, Tidewater Testing Services Inc. which he operated until his death.

Rex was an active member of his community and supported local youth sports and enjoyed attending theatrical performances. His granddaughters were the light of his life and he was so proud of their academic, athletic and musical accomplishments. In the summer, you could find Rex at the river, cold beer in hand, offering boat rides to all. With his boisterous personality, distinct loud chuckle and height, Rex was always the center of attention, with a never-ending supply of life stories and jokes and would always leave you laughing.

Rex was preceded in death by his first wife, Kathleen TenBroeck Riley, by his parents, Joseph W. Riley Jr. and Helen Riley and sisters Lynn Robinson and Audrey Smith. He was survived by his daughter, Carolyn “Cara” Riley; his son Joseph W. “Joey” Riley III; daughter-in-law Allison Riley; granddaughters Gracen and Hadley Riley; the mother of his children, Carol Routten Riley; sisters Joni Johnson, Alicia Culler, Tara Ball; brother Boyd “Buddy” Riley; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be planned for a later date and details will be shared by the family.

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