Harriet Riley

Shorewood Hills: Harriet Ann Riley, age 74, passed away peacefully at her home on August 16, 2012, with her family by her side.

Harriet loved growing up in Wisconsin's north woods, near Lake Superior. She graduated from Ashland High School and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Harriet's passion for nature shaped the way she looked at the world and lived in it. She was an enthusiastic teacher of English as a Second Language in the Madison School System. She taught middle-school students from around the world to speak English. Equally important to Harriet, she shared with them her love of nature and her concern for protecting the environment.

She was the beloved daughter of Percy and Amy Linnander Sollie, who preceded her in death. Shawn Emmett Riley, her husband and the love of her life, also preceded her in death.

She is survived by her children, Erin (John Crowley), Anchor Bay, Calif.; Patrick, Driggs, Idaho; Brian (Ann), Minneapolis, Minn.; and Shawn (Shannon), Kalispell, Mont.; her grandson Sean and his mother Jacklyn Riley, Driggs, Idaho; her granddaughter Sierra, Kalispell, Mont.; and her sisters-in-law Patricia Koval, Roberta Berthiaume, Mary Hill, and Elinor Riley.

A celebration of Harriet's life will be held at the VILAS PARK SHELTER on Saturday, October 13, 2012, from 4:00-7:00p.m. The shelter is located on Vilas Park Drive on the north shore of Lake Wingra, near the Henry Vilas Zoo.

In lieu of flowers, Harriet requests donations to her favorite environmental groups:
- Natural Heritage Land Trust, 303 S Paterson St, Ste #6, Madison, WI 53703
- Friends of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve, PO Box 55056, Madison, WI 53705

The family gratefully acknowledges support from Angie Seals and Rebecca Parkes of Agrace Hospice and the Agrace CNA team.