William Edmund Riseley III, 75
William Edmund Riseley III, 75, passed away on January 11, 2026 after an extended illness at his home in Marion, MA. His wife, Kyle, was at his side. True to character, he took his lumps honorably and with optimism. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend, "Trip," as he was known to all, was always ready with a quip and a smile.
Born in 1950 in Englewood, NJ to William Edmund Riseley Jr. and Jean (Legg) Riseley, Trip was raised in nearby Tenafly and spent summers at his grandfather's farm in Shandaken, NY. He graduated from Ithaca College in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. When he married his college sweetheart, Kyle, in 1974, they drove a green Volkswagen bug onto the ferry to Martha's Vineyard and began the first of thirty summers in Aquinnah and fifty-one years of marriage.
His career was in finance and commercial lending. He spent 30 years as a banker in Fairfield County, Connecticut before moving to Massachusetts. At Cape and Coast Bank (formerly Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod) he helmed the commercial lending operations and retired in 2015 as Senior VP and Chief Commercial Lending Officer. He took great pride in helping businesses get on their feet, and his warm, good-humored and ethical approach served him well in his career.
A Jersey boy who raised his family in Ridgefield, CT and retired to his beloved coastal Massachusetts, Trip could not shake his love for the New York Yankees. Even after years in Marion, he rooted for his beloved Yanks and insisted that anyone who truly loved the game would understand his loyalty. He was a gifted athlete himself all his life and he nurtured an appreciation for sports when he coached countless kids in baseball, basketball and eventually soccer. With his own kids, to one he passed on a love of sports; to the other, he recognized and encouraged an affinity for the arts.
A lifelong lover of music, the house or car was always alive with sound. He listened closely across genres. His sense of humor was renowned and he had an easy way with people. He carried around a handful of alter egos and was known variously as Ace, Carmine, Almond Joy or Pops. His Donald Duck impression was stellar.
He is survived by his wife, Kyle Wilhelmy Riseley; son, Will and wife Tara Worley Riseley of Boulder, CO, son, Ned and partner Ethan Philbrick of Brooklyn, NY; three grandchildren, Harriet, Louise, and Finn of Boulder, CO; sister, Barbara Schmeelk of Marietta, GA; brother-in-laws, Bob Wilhelmy and his wife Debbie of Midway, UT, Brad Wilhelmy of Raleigh, NC; sister-in-law Ginny Bloomquist and her husband Craig of Newtown, CT, sister-in-law Shirley Wilhelmy of Cary, NC, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends. His brother, Robert A. Riseley, of Marietta, GA, predeceased him by two weeks.
A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Sippican Land Trust, PO Box 848, Marion, MA 02738. Arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. For online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
