Obituary of Mary Theresa Reilly

Mary Theresa Reilly, 86 Mary T. Reilly (nee Walsh) , 86, passed away on January 14, 2015 at her daughter Patricia's home in Richmond , Indiana. Funeral Services will be held on Friday January 23, 2015 at The Dangler Funeral Home of West Orange, 340 Main Street in West Orange at 9:00 AM. Then to Saint Joseph's Church, Benvenue Avenue West Orange for the Funeral Mass at 10:00 AM. Visitation will be held on Thursday 4-8 PM. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Reid Hospital Foundation Hospice Program, 1100 Reid Parkway, Richmond, Indiana 47374. Mrs. Reilly was born in County Galway, Ireland in 1928 to Patrick and Mary Mullin Walsh. She came to America in 1948 using an American passport as her father was an American citizen. She met her future husband Eugene R. Reilly at the Eagles Hall in Newark, NJ, where Americans of Irish descent and a large Irish expat community enjoyed Irish dancing every week. Mary Walsh and Gene Reilly were married at St. Columbus Church, Newark, NJ on Feb 3, 1951. She lived in Newark until 1970 when the family moved to West Orange, NJ. However due to failing health she moved to her daughter's home 14 months ago. Mary and her husband were extremely involved with the Irish community. Mrs. Reilly was a Deputy Grand Marshal of the 1980 West Orange St. Patrick's Day Parade. She was also the first woman elected President of the Irish- American Society of the Oranges in 1987. One of her favorite causes was a Free and United Ireland. She returned to Ireland numerous times over the years to visit her mother, brothers, and many nieces and nephews as well as friends. She was particularly proud that she brought all four of her children to Ireland several times. Mary is survived by her four children; Mary Sciacchetano and her husband Daniel of Florida, Patricia Reilly of Indiana, Eileen Reilly Shinn of New Jersey, and Eugene J. Reilly and his wife Tracey of New Jersey. She has six grandchildren; Theresa, Erin, Brege, James, Daniel, and Colleen, and five great grandsons; Brennan, Vincent, Isaac, Kameron, and Mason. She is predeceased by her husband Gene in 2008, her parents Patrick and Mary Walsh and her three brothers Joseph, Patrick and John. Mrs. Reilly and her husband Gene will be brought to Ireland to be interred with her parents and her brothers in Milltown, County Galway, Ireland.