William R. Risley

William R. Risley, 82, of Memphis, previously of Madison, Wisconsin, passed away August 3, 2024 at Baptist Reynolds Hospice House.

 Born in New York City, Will was the son of Harriet Bisbee and Edward Plunkett Risley. His family moved to Westchester County, New York, in 1947. A proud graduate of Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, he began his college studies at Dartmouth, which he attended on a Navy ROTC scholarship. Will then transferred to Hamilton College, where he graduated in 1965 with a major in Spanish and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He was a member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity and of the Naval Reserve. He went on to earn a Master’s degree from Middlebury College’s Graduate School of Spanish in Madrid in 1966 and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1974.

 Will taught Spanish language and literature for more than 40 years. He taught for 15 years at Western Illinois University in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, where he earned three Presidential Merit awards. In 1986 he accepted a dual appointment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and the Department of Liberal Studies, Division of University Outreach. A consummate teacher-scholar, Professor Risley loved teaching undergraduate and graduate students, who appreciated his extensive knowledge, warmth and wit. While directing the University’s Spanish and Portuguese outreach programs, he enjoyed offering adult continuing education classes in the evenings and developing courses in new areas, especially in Latin American literature. He retired from the profession in 2011.

 A loving husband, father, and grandfather, Will was married to Diane (Klemm) Risley for 55 years. They raised two daughters, Kristin and Amy, in Macomb, IL and Madison, WI. A lifelong sports fan, Will’s list of favorite teams expanded from the Yankees to the Brewers, the Giants to the Packers, the Bucks to the Grizzlies. He cheered for them all but cheered hardest for his Badgers: he had season tickets to UW football, basketball, and hockey. A move to Memphis in 2014 gave him the chance to become a full-time grandpa. An avid reader, he relished time in his local bookstore, exploring new novels as well as returning to old classics, and attending talks by visiting writers.

 Will is survived by his wife Diane, daughters Kristin Risley (Frode Larsen) and Amy Risley (Joseph Jansen), grandchildren Sophia and Theodore Jansen, and brothers Edward and Robert Risley. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Mary Risley.

 Private burial will take place at Sunset Hill Cemetery, East Jordan, MI. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at Cress Funeral and Cremation Services West, in Madison, Wisconsin.