Riley remembered as ‘beautiful soul,’ ‘very loved’

Loves for German, theater, thunderstorms and singing often exist separately. Together, they contribute to the memory of Kira Riley.

Riley, who died Tuesday in her dorm room in Briscoe Quad, had studied in Krefeld, Germany, through the IU Honors Program in Foreign Languages for High School Students; had played a lead role in an award-winning play; sang with the Batesville Singers and was “a beautiful soul” with “a heart of gold,” according to posts left on her Facebook wall and sent by email.

In a statement, the IU Honors Program said Riley had a positive attitude and did everything to become a part of the German culture.

Her efforts, the statement said, earned her the program’s Award of Excellence.
“Kira expressed to the on-site staff at the end of the summer that the Honors Program helped her reach her potential as a student and also contributed to her becoming a better person,” the program said.

Back home, the feeling was the same. Her obituary, published online before her funeral Saturday, said friends and family recall her smile and her willingness to help others.

“She was one of the nicest people I have ever met, her group of friends were some of the most wonderful people I had the pleasure of knowing,” Nick Limardo wrote in an email. Limardo graduated from Batesville High School with Riley.

Riley shared a prom date — Graham Hawley — and nearly identical prom dresses — mermaid style with sparkles — with IU freshman Lindsey Wilson during their senior year at Batesville. They also appeared together in the spring production of “Grease.”
Wilson said Riley was always very happy, even at IU.

“When I was down, having a sad time, she came to Wright Food Court and comforted me,” she said. “She was very loved, a sweet girl. Very loved.”

Freshman Brittany Brewer met Riley in middle-school choir after Brewer moved to Batesville in fifth grade. Brewer’s play, “What’s the Matter with Pink Underwear?,” won her the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s Young Playwright Award, and Riley played an elderly woman in its premiere before it won the competition.

“There wasn’t a person better for the part,” Brewer said in an email.

After she learned about Riley’s death, Brewer put a photo of herself and Riley as the elderly woman as her profile picture on Facebook.

Riley’s Facebook page already had collected messages and memories by then. After the first post at 10:37 p.m. Tuesday, more than 50 posts shared song lyrics, described a 20-minute laugh-off and recalled conversations about thunderstorms.

“I know Kira loved thunderstorms and I was terrified of them for the longest time,” said Aiyana Koon, who posted the recollection on Riley’s wall. “I’m not scared of them anymore because I’ll always think of her when it rains. She was beautiful inside and out and the type of person you can only come by once in a lifetime.”