Lynn Akard Riley (Aka Smiley Riley), 83, of Chesterfield, Missouri passed away on September 5, 2023 at Mercy Medical Center after a short illness.

Lynn A. Riley was born on January 15, 1940 in Knoxville, Tennessee. The only child of Clearance and Ruby Elizabeth Haire Riley.

Lynn was raised in Maryville, Tennessee and graduated from Maryville High School in 1958.

In 1962, Lynn married Allie Sue Davis of Alcoa, Tennessee in an elopement process in Bryson City, North Carolina. After living in Knoxville, Alcoa, Maryville, Chattanooga, and cities of northern California, Lynn and his spouse moved to the St Louis area in 1980. Lynn and Allie were married for 60 years.

Lynn was drafted into the US Army in 1964, was stationed in California, and received honorable discharge in 1969.

Lynn was a graduate of University of Tennessee College of Architecture in Knoxville, first in his class, 1974.

Mr. Riley served as an Architecture Project Manager for Hospital Buildings Designs, Inc. and traveled to the West Coast for most of his career.  He also had affiliations with HOK Global Design Group as a consultant in California for several years.

Lynn’s hobbies and loves were: constant learning and continuous education, playing musical instruments (claranet, keyboard, ukulele, and harmonica), his animals (Yosi, Patches, Orange Roughy, Fumbles, Smokie, Sudzy, and many others), The Tennessee Vols, Bluegrass, AA friends (celebrated 18 years of sobriety on Sept. 2, 2023), hanging out with his granddaughters,  art projects, running around town with his daughters, and the newest and latest high tech gadgets like his Apple watch.

Lynn was easily spotted in his Tennessee Orange suspenders and Tennessee hat.  He always had a smile on his face, shared his kindness with everyone he encountered, was very creative, funny, and loved by all.

Lynn is survived by his daughter April Riley Lehenbauer of Maryland Heights, Missouri; daughter Xanthe Riley Schien of Chesterfield, Missouri; and granddaughters Caroline Grace Meyer and Riley Cate Meyer of Chesterfield, Missouri

Lynn’s life will be celebrated on September, 15, 2023.

• St. Louis Cremation, 2135 Chouteau Ave , St. Louis, MO

  • Family receiving  friends 10:00 am to 11:00 am

  • 11:00 am funeral service

• Flag service and ashes placed at Jefferson Barracks 1:00 pm

• Informal family & friends gathering at Harpo’s, 136 Hilltown Village Center, Chesterfield, MO 2:30 to 5:00 pm

Anyone wishing to make a memorial contribution we asked to consider Olive Tree Network, Chicago, Illinois or ChiTown Pitties, Chicago, Illinois.