RILEY, JR., CHARLES THEODORE, - of Egg Harbor Township, born on May 11, 1925, passed away on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at the age of 94. Charlie to most, Pop to some, and Dad and Pop-Pop to one and one, lived a true American story. Born to father, Charles T. Riley, and mother, Flora in rural Southern New Jersey, Charlie spent his early childhood years as an only child living on a farm with no running water or electricity. He would tell stories about warming himself by a wood stove in the winter and having to use an outhouse in the middle of a cold winter’s night. Charlie’s mother passed away when Charlie was a boy. His father remarried and Charlie moved with his father and step-mother, Anna Riley, to Wenonah, New Jersey. Charlie graduated Woodbury High School in 1943 and was immediately drafted into the United States Navy. Charlie was a turret gunner on a torpedo bomber on the aircraft carrier USS Hornet, assigned to the Pacific. He would often recount the harrowing tale of how once the bottom part of the torpedo bomber was shot out by the enemy, and his pilot had to land the plane on the carrier with Charlie hanging from his straps in the ball-turret machine gun placement with his legs dangling above the void. And then there was the time his torpedo bomber took a hit to the fuel tank and they had to ditch the plane into the rough seas and wait for their comrades to save them. After Charlie returned from war, his father gave him two days to rest and then marched him down to the Mobile Oil plant to get a job. Charlie worked at Mobile Oil’s Paulsboro Refinery for 38 years. Charlie married Frances Riley (ne Conover) (deceased) shortly after the war. Charlie and Fran raised their daughter Evelyn (Lynn) Lushear in Brooklawn, New Jersey and summered in Ocean City, New Jersey for many, many years before they moved to Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey after Charlie’s retirement from Mobile Oil to be closer to Lynn and her family. In his retirement, Charlie returned to the air, obtaining his pilot’s license and purchasing his own Cessna plane, which he loved so much. Charlie was a good one.... He was kind of heart, gentle, charismatic, and genuinely interested in people and making others happy. He will be missed dearly. Charlie is survived by his daughter, Lynn, his granddaughter Stephanie Cruse (Will), his grandsons Charles and Roderick Lushear (Samantha), and great-grandkids Vivian Cruse and Nova Lee and Parker Migliore.
A Gathering with the family will be held on Monday, June 3, 2019 from 10am until 11am at the Adams-Perfect Funeral Home 1650 New Road, Northfield NJ.A Funeral Service will follow at 11am. Burial will be held at Lakeview Memorial Cemetery, Cinnaminson, NJ.
Arrangements entrusted to and condolences may be left for the family at adams-perfect.com.