Martin E. Riley, age 86, of Portage, passed away Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at home surrounded by his family. He was born on April 23, 1940, in East Chicago, Indiana, to the late Henry and Sue Riley. Martin was a 1958 graduate of Portage High School and served his country in the United States Army. He worked as an oiler for Youngstown Sheet and Tube for 16 years and then went on to retire from Inland Steel where he was a crane operator for 26 years.

On May 12, 1990, he married Carol Riley at Unity Church of Christ in Hammond, Indiana. Martin was a devoted fan of the Chicago Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks, and Bulls, and he enjoyed playing poker. An avid golfer, one of his proudest accomplishments was scoring a hole-in-one on September 19, 2012, on the White Course at River Pointe Country Club. Above all, Martin will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Carol Riley; children, Brian and Kimberly Ganz; sons, Troy and Kevin; grandchildren, Nicholas (Ruby) Ganz and Samantha (Casey) Ganz; great-grandson, Matteo Ganz; brother, Leland (Sharon) Riley; his favorite cousin, Patsy (Rollie) Brauer; and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Sue Riley; his favorite brother-in-law, Ronald Hoholek; and his devoted dog, Golfer.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Martin’s name may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Courtney Eckhoff and the staff at AseraCare Hospice for the compassionate care they provided for Martin.

Memorial visitation will be held Saturday, May 30, 2026, from 10:00 am until 11:00 am at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 6540 Central Ave. Portage, IN 46368. A memorial service will take place on Saturday at 11:00 am at the church. Cremation was entrusted to Rees Funeral Home, Olson Chapel. For more information, please call (219) 762-3013. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.reesfuneralhomes.com.