Terry Riley
Captain Terrence L. Riley, a highly distinguished naval medical officer and flight surgeon, passed away on 3 February 2011 at age 64. The cause of death was complications from a stroke.
As a nationally-known neurologist, Captain Riley published numerous academic papers, and he authored several books and chapters in neurologic texts. His account of his time aboard USS Forrestal, Ship's Doctor, made the Chief of Naval Operations suggested reading list.
Terry was a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Missouri Medical School. He performed his residency in Neurology at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He completed a fellowship in clinical neurophysiology at Johns Hopkins University. He left active duty to join the faculty of Boston University in 1980. He returned to active duty in 1988 as the Senior Medical Officer aboard USS Forrestal. During Operation Desert Storm, he served as Force Surgeon for II MEF. He was the first Commanding Officer of Naval Operational Medical Institute in Pensacola, Florida.
When he retired from active duty in 2001, Terry was named Chief of Neurology at Ben Taub Hospital in Houston, Texas, where he also served as Professor of Neurology at Baylor College of Medicine. He returned to Kansas City, Missouri to become Chief of Medicine at the Kansas City VA Medical Center. He went on to became a partner with Kansas City Neurology Associates in Lee's Summit, Missouri.
Terry's wife, Sandra Riley, provided the photo above. It shows Terry with his pride and joy, a 2008 Triumph Bonneville, on his way to work after a Rotary Club meeting in 2010. Yes, he went to work just like that. Terry was a little larger than life.
Terry was known to mark Saint Crispin Crispian Day each October. He epitomized the rhetorical question posed of naval aviators, "Where do we find such men?" Saint Peter, stand aside.
3 comments:
I am very sorry to hear of Dr.Riley's demise. I first met him in 2001 as a visiting foreign medical student when he strongly encouraged me to pursue a career in neurology. I proceeded to join Baylor College of Medicine as a neurology resident and continued to work under his guidance for the next several years.
Dr. Riley was a true inspiration to all of us. He cared for the underprivileged at BTGH and was dedicated to his trainees. May he rest in peace.
Terry and I were shipmates on Forrestal for a short time and later neighbors in Pensacola when he was CO of NAMI and I was CO of the Supply Center. He was a great friend, truly larger than life, and enthusiasm personified. I just learned of his passing and I know his loss will make the world less interesting and certainly less fun. Fair winds and following seas my friend. Dave Douglas Capt. SC USN (ret)
Very saddened to have recently learned of Captain Riley's passing. He was indeed a larger than life guy and one of the most generally interesting people I ever knew. He was not only a great Doctor, writer, researcher, and leader (as others have commented), but he was also a person who cared about the little guy, and often rallied that booming voice and imposing facial expression in defense of the ones who often took the short end of the stick. As a Medical Battalion Commander, he not only coached his battalion's tackle football team in the base league on Camp Lejeune, he also suited up and played alongside 20 year olds on the offensive line. They won the championship that year if memory serves me correctly.
He spoke lovingly about his daughters to me often, even though I never met them. By the time we parted company I felt as though I did know them. I will feel a little less comfortable in a world no longer blessed by Terry Riley's presence in it. Fair winds and following seas, Sir.
Post a Comment