Robert Alfred Riley, 96, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. He was born in New Madrid on Aug. 14, 1915, the sixth of seven children of Charlotte Lewis and Howard Riley. He was educated in New Madrid at Immaculate Conception Grade School and attended Chaminade Preparatory School in St. Louis where he was a member of the varsity football team and graduated with honors in 1933. He was awarded a scholarship to St. Mary's College in San Antonio, Texas, but elected to attend the University of Missouri in Columbia where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. After two years of college, he returned home to assist his father with the  farming operation on the Mississippi River working with mules, wagons and manual labor as compared to today's high-tech machinery. On Oct. 14, 1944, he married Fern Thompson, and they purchased a home on Powell Street where they lived and raised their family. In addition to his farming activities, he engaged in several other business enterprises including owning and operating Superior Cleaners and later co-owning the Happy Hollow Saloon. Mr. Riley served a two-year term as mayor of New Madrid from 1958 to 1960. In 1962, he was again elected and served six consecutive terms ending in May 1974. Among the accomplishments during his service as mayor were the construction of a new city hall, a new sewage lagoon and water treatment plant as well as purchase of a new fire truck and diesel electric generator, extension of water, sewer and power lines and building of several miles of asphalt streets with concrete curbs and gutters. Following passage of a bond issue, the city acquired and developed St. Jude Industrial Park in which a city-owned electric power plant was built, enabling Noranda Aluminum Inc., the state's first aluminum reduction plant, to locate in New Madrid County. City efforts, coupled with assistance from U.S. representatives and senators, resulted in Southwestern Power Administration constructing a power line and large substation near New Madrid. The city contracted and buys power from the hydro-electric power service. Other service included membership on the New Madrid County Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Committee (ASCS), two terms on the New Madrid County R-6 School Board and member and secretary-treasurer of the New Madrid Country Club. He held memberships in the New Madrid Eagles Club and the local Brown-Twitty American Legion Post. A lifetime member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, he served on the Parish Board. He was preceded in death by his wife; parents; four brothers, Henry Clay (Mike), Lilbourn Lewis (Pud), Edwin Howard (Punk) and Lewis Camden Riley; one sister, Dorothy Riley Phillips; one grandson, Robert Riley III; and one great-granddaughter, Alyisa Riley. Survivors include: his sister, Emma Riley Maxwell of New Madrid; two sons and daughters-in-law, Edwin and Marge Riley of St. Louis and Robert Jr. (Wub) and Sherry Riley of New Madrid; two daughters and one son-in-law, Sheran Riley of Bryan, Texas and Susan Riley and Prentiss Smith of Baton Rouge, La.; five grandchildren, Lisa Riley, Lindi Riley Fowler (Brian), Steffanie Riley Lee, Ryan Riley (Elizabeth) and John Riley; five great-grandchildren, Riley and Avery Fowler, Matt and Joe Beth Riley and Cayden Lee; five stepgrandchildren, Katie Smith Matison (Dave), Prentiss Smith III (Carolyn), Leah Smith Cannon (Ronnie), Joey Faries (Jennifer) and Morgan Faries Brasher (Matt); nine great-stepgrandchildren, Prentiss IV (Isabel), Christopher, Ansley and Elliott Smith, Luke Jones (Sarah) and Nicholas Hanson, Bethany and Mya Faries and Brody Brasher; and three great-great-grandchildren, Prentiss V and Eliza Smith and Myles Jones. Visitation will be held at Richards Funeral Home in New Madrid on Friday, Oct. 28 beginning at 5 p.m. with the rosary at 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with the Rev. David Hulshof officiating. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery. ---- Memorial contributions may be made to: Immaculate Conception School 605 Davis St. New Madrid, MO 63869 or New Madrid Historical Museum 1 Main St. New Madrid, MO 63869