Due to the weather, visitation has been moved to Friday for Randolph Riotto, Sr., 96, of Geneva died on Jan. 27, at Pineview Care Center, St. Charles, from complications of pneumonia.
He was born Dec. 7, 1914, in Chicago, one of six children of Charles and Rosina Riotto, and moved to Geneva in 1916. He graduated from Geneva High School, class of 1934 and excelled in football and wrestling. He was Illinois state wrestling champion in both 1933 and 1934, as well as the school’s first four-letter athlete. Along with school, he began part-time work at Geneva Bottling Works at the age of 12.
Unable to accept a college athletic scholarship because he was the sole support of his family in the depths of the Depression, he continued full-time at the bottling works. As World War II began, he completed machinists’ school in Chicago with the desire of serving in the Navy in ship maintenance.
Rejected by the military for what later proved to be an erroneous medical condition, he went to work as a machinist for General Motors at a new aircraft engine plant in Melrose Park. He returned to Geneva Bottling after the war and worked there until 1950. After employment at Fox Valley Heating, he started Randolph Riotto Heating Service in 1953, which he operated until his retirement in 1982.
He married Adelyn Vogt, also of Geneva, on Jan. 23, 1943. They were married for more than 60 years at her death in 2004.
He is survived by a son, Randolph Jr. (Janice) of Elgin, a daughter, Elizabeth of Villa Park, a granddaughter, Christine of Elgin, his sister-in-law, Joyce Vogt of Geneva, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and five sisters, Luna Wilson, Josephine Gregonis, Sandra Pearson, Genevieve Stramel, and Rosalie Madejczyk.
Funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 4, at Yurs Funeral Home, 1771 West State St., Geneva. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery, Geneva. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and from 9:30 a.m. Friday until the time of the service at the funeral home.
Contributions in his memory may be made to Fabyan Villa and Garden, Preservation Partners of the Fox River Valley, P.O. Box 903, St. Charles, IL 60174.
For info call Yurs Funeral Home of Geneva, 630-232-7337 or at yursfuneralhomes.com.
This notice is courtesy of Yurs Funeral Home.
Lynn Landberg
9:56 am on Monday, January 31, 2011
Is Randy a member of the Geneva Athletic Hall of Fame? If not, I think he should be given serious consideration. By way of disclaimer, Randy was one of my dad’s best friends from their days at GHS throughout their lives.