Riles was born June 27, 1917, near Alexandria, Rapides Parish, Louisiana. He was orphaned at an early age and was raised by family friends. He was married to the former Mary Louise Phillips. Riles' son, named Wilson Riles Jr., served on the city council of Oakland, California, from 1979 to 1992 and unsuccessfully ran for mayor of the city in 2002. Riles died April 1, 1999, at Mercy Hospital in Sacramento, California.
