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A bright light was dimmed on Thursday, December 11, 2014, with the passing of Riley Middleton Cole, comedian, intellectual adventurer, and humanitarian.
Riley left this world after a tragic auto accident on his way home to Charlottesville to celebrate the holidays with his beloved family. He had just completed the first semester of his senior year at Longwood University, where he was a proud member of the Cormier Honors College and global politics major and history minor. Riley loved people, and people loved him. He lit up every room he entered with his booming voice and a smile that spread from ear to ear. Riley loved life. He had an enormous intellectual curiosity, voraciously accumulating knowledge of any topic that piqued his interest. He knew every president and vice president of the United States, their political affiliation, who their opposition was, and how many states they carried; and he could do that from George Washington to Barack Obama, or in reverse order if one preferred. He could tell you, and sometimes did even if not asked, who won every Super Bowl and World Series. He loved to share his strong opinions on everything from politics, both historical and present, to the new voice actors in Thomas the Tank Engine, who completely ruined the spirit of the original series obviously.
Riley was a graduate of Albemarle High School, class of 2011. There he played the tuba and managed the football team while entertaining and enlightening faculty, staff, and students.
He worked summers and part time during the year for Martin Horn, where he worked on the DEstruction crew, not on the CONstruction crew, as he was very happy to tell people, and for Kroger at Rio Hills. He loved to travel, spending a summer in Germany through an exchange program set up by AHS and visiting Greece and Yellowstone National Park as part of his education at Longwood.
Riley is survived by his father, Jeff Cole; his mother and step-father, Louise and Ron Reeve of Charlottesville; by his older brother, Ben of New York City; by his twin brother, Sam of Charlottesville; and by his paternal grandmother, Joan Cole of Charlottesville. He also was loved by his step-brothers and step-sister and their families, Adam Reeve and his wife, Amanda, Amanda Hodgson and husband, Chris, all of Waynesboro, and Adam Brown of Harrisonburg. He was absolutely adored by his niece, Lily Reeve; and nephews, Jack Reeve, Gavin Hodgson, and Sammy Hodgson, who knew him as the fun uncle -- Funcle Riley. Among his many other family and friends Riley found particular joy every summer in the presence of his "Mountain Lake Family." His godparents were Tom Jackson of Charlottesville and Patsy and Brian Flanagan of Maryland.
A celebration of Riley's life will be held at Teague Funeral Home, 2260 Ivy Road, Charlottesville, on Tuesday, December 16, 2014, from 5 until 8 p.m. Riley loved a good party. In that spirit, attendees are invited to bring a dish or dessert to share. Drinks will be provided. Riley would be wearing shorts and a tee shirt so this will be a very informal event.
Submitted by Sam Clarke
Daily Progress, December 15, 2014
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Charles "Connie" Crenshaw (1958)
Riley was an overcomer. He was an example for many. In 2011 Riley was awarded one of the scholarships presented by the Albemarle High School Alumni Association. A bright future has been cut short by an accident.Charles Crenshaw
AHS Alumni Association