The self-described “kid off the streets” from the North Side exemplified the Horatio Alger story, Richard “Dick” Riley of Zelienople was 87.

“I'll make things happen.” He said it and did it, in every facet of his life. Husband, father, serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, Cub Scout leader, mentor — to these and many other roles Dick brought intensity, laserlike focus and an energy-level that exhausted others. An iconic son of Pittsburgh passed Thursday and a legion of admirers including family, partners, friends and employees lost a legendary teacher who typified the notion of leading by example.

The fifth of six children born to Gwynn and Ruth Riley, Dick was raised on the North Side during the Great Depression.

Working with his father from an early age formulated his work ethic and led him to lifelong achievement, including the founding of companies in the mill erection, equipment rental, commercial insurance, steel fabrication and property development sectors.

His childhood memories of the Depression had a dramatic influence on both his ventures and his lessons to others about the merits of self-reliance, industry and the avoidance of debt.

“Dick had a dream, and I held onto his coattails,” said longtime business partner Jim Bonzo. Sacrifice, relentless effort and force of will made that dream real.

As a youngster, Dick found the traditional classroom learning environment to be challenging due to his energy level and recreational pursuits. He learned that descending the downspout of Latimer Junior School provided the fastest path to his own education on the Pittsburgh streets.

Street-fighting, he would later share, gave him his best life lessons in self-reliance and leadership development. Knowing Dick's penchant for physical exchange, his paternal grandmother gave the boy a billy-club to assist him in the street-version of conflict-management training.

The 1940s era Pittsburgh was a fascinating place for adventure-seeking young men, with its nightclubs, gambling haunts and late-night entertainment options — and Dick embraced them all.

He would later entertain friends and family of all ages with tales of early morning craps and barbooth games with milkmen and policemen, driving a beer truck for Duquesne Brewery at 13 and owning a North Side pool hall as a teenager.

His youthful travels also took him to New York City with two amateur boxing friends where he unloaded railroad cars to pay his bills. Unfortunately, a landlord tossed Dick and his friends from their lodging after the three young men stopped a street gang from mugging an old man. The landlord told Dick and friends that the “gang will be back to kill you tonight and it won't happen in my building.” Shortly thereafter he returned to the Steel City.

Dick's neighborhood travels introduced him to a beautiful North Side girl, Carolyn “Mickey” Giesy, who would become the love of his life and the inspiration for all of his future success. Smitten, Dick proposed to Mickey shortly thereafter and the two eloped in 1954.

The doubts of those family members who opposed the wedding and questioned Dick's commitment to Mickey provided a source of amusement during the couple's 60th wedding anniversary last year. Mickey and Dick went on to build a family of five children and 10 grandchildren. Dick often shared with family members that he “owed all of his good fortune to Mickey,” and few who knew the two of them would dispute his claim.

His legacy will reflect the strength of his character and the breadth of his achievements. While no man of letters, to those with whom he communicated the spirit and intent of his message was never in doubt — and his word was an immutable bond.

He defended the troubled, interceding in legal proceedings as a character witness for young men in New Brighton in whom he believed. He supported the efforts of the underprivileged who aspired to and sacrificed for a better life, as evidenced by his financial support for a young African-American entrepreneur in Beaver Falls.

He respected all who took pride in a job well done regardless of title or compensation. Working men (like Frank Pivik, who could shovel dirt out of a 16-foot ditch for a 12-hour shift) were those who he called friends and who Dick used as positive examples to his children.

Driving tractors for neighborhood hayrides, leading Cub Scouts, supporting the Merrick Art Gallery, donating to Beaver County each of the New Brighton Public Library building and the Beaver Falls Tribune building, providing moral and financial support to those in need — Dick saw no task as beneath him and no goal as beyond his reach.

Audacity, character and effort yielded results and trumped talent — this was his message and his example. A principled man for whom loyalty and family supersede all else, the essence of his life code was best distilled by his wife Mickey — “Like you or not, he was fair to you.”

Mickey, his dogs, his children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and extended family — these were Dick's loves. “Pap and Grandma” to their grandchildren, Dick and Mickey hosted family at every major holiday to share love, laughter, second helpings of Grandma's Yorkshire pudding and Pap's no-holds-barred assessment of each family member.

No matter the miles to be traveled or the schedules to be changed, all shared the same holiday destination. All family, friends and visitors were welcome, and once welcomed to Dick's home it offered both respite from the harsh realities of the outside world and a safe haven.

To his loved ones, being in Dick's presence and being safe were one and the same.

Mr. Riley was a member of the Freemasons and served in both the U.S. Army and U.S. Merchant Marines.

He was preceded in death by his father, Gwynn Riley; mother, Ruth Riley; and siblings, George Riley, Mary Muecklisch, Ruth Jacob and Pat Duffy.

He is survived by his loving wife, Carolyn (Mickey) Riley; his daughters, Carolyn Riley (Charles Lang) and Mary Hess (Mark); his sons, Richard (Tracy), John (Kate) and David; his grandchildren, Richard Riley III (Brooke), Ian Hess, Alex Riley, Ilsa Hess, Liam Hess, Kellen Hess, Riley Lang, Reagan Lang, Sean Riley and Dylan Riley; brother, Tom (Bette Jean); and Dick's beloved dog, Sullivan.

RILEY — The family of Richard “Dick” Riley, who died Thursday, April 23, 2015, will welcome friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Boylan Funeral Home, 324 E. Grandview Ave., Zelienople.A funeral ceremony will be held privately by the Riley family.In lieu of flowers, the family asks that those who wish to do so donate to the Butler County Humane Society, 1015 Evans City Road, Renfrew, PA, 16053.Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the Riley family at www.boylanfuneralhome.com.