Ken Riley, psychologist, sociologist, jazz drummer, teacher, Quaker, and spiritual explorer, has died at the age of 89.
For many years he lectured in psychology at Dundee College of Commerce and presented a weekly programme, Living and Loving, which was broadcast on the college’s campus radio and Radio Tay.
Ken was also an active member of the Educational Institute of Scotland and a Labour activist who was on the campaign team of former Dundee East MP Iain Luke.
He was born in Bury, Lancashire, the youngest of three brothers, to Jenny and Bert, who was a steam locomotive driver.
Ken won a bursary to attend Bury Grammar School, undertook a degree in psychology and sociology at the University of Bath, followed by a Masters in sociology from the London School of Economics.
Nightlife
He was also a jazz drummer, and a lifelong jazz fan. At the age of 18 he managed a jazz club in Soho, but was chased out by thugs hired by rival clubs.
Ken went on to work for the Civil Service, in benefits assessment. In London he married Anna and they had two daughters, Siobhan and Marie-Louise.
The family moved to Dundee in 1974 for Ken to take up a teaching post in psychology at the newly opened Dundee College of Commerce on Constitution Road.
Ken was much-loved as a teacher there and was known for going the extra mile for his students, who enjoyed his vivid and unorthodox style.
Wisdom
Throughout his life he remained open to new ideas, retained a youthful outlook and his eloquent style of speaking was punctuated with wisdom and insight.
“Ken had time for everybody. He saw no distinctions between people of whatever station in life and truly was a believer in the oneness of humanity,” recalled one colleague.
Ken spent a number of enjoyable years in the US, initially through a teaching exchange with Northern Virginia Commercial College, and later as a part-time resident of Florida.
After retirement he taught at Perth College and assisted with facilitating its conversion to a campus of the University of the Highlands and Islands. He also taught evening classes at Dundee University.
Man of faith
Ken had always been interested in the spiritual side of life. Raised a Catholic, he was drawn to Quakerism, and had a lifelong interest and involvement in a variety of faiths.
In his final years he attended Baha’i services regularly. For many years he was a member and also a trustee of Dundee Faith and Belief, which celebrates the diversity of faith groups in the UK.
One Quaker colleague said that Ken was the embodiment of their injunction: “While remaining faithful to Quaker insights, try to enter imaginatively into the life and witness of other communities of faith, creating together the bonds of friendship.”
A Quaker memorial service will be held at Dundee University Chaplaincy at 11am on Saturday February 25.
You can read the formal announcement here.
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