Joseph
J. Riley, Jr., a.k.a., “Sarge,” worked for
Associated Spring for 30-plus years and for 21 of them,
was loaned out to serve as Bristol’s Superintendent
of Parks & Recreation. He would be the last to
serve while not on the city payroll. He
became close friends with the widow of DeWitt Page, who,
with her husband donated the city property known as Page
Park. She would value his judgement and because of
this made great contributions to Bristol’s park
system. He
became one of Bristol’s most distinguished and
admired individuals while well-known in state and
national parks and recreation circles, serving as
president of the National Recreation Association. Following his retirement in 1975, the athletic field on Shrub Road was named in his honor as “Sarge Riley Field.” |
...Joseph
J."Sarge" Riley