Phillip Reilly

Phillip James “Phil” Reilly, 96, passed away on December 31, 2024, peacefully at home, surrounded by his wife and children. Mr. Reilly was born on August 10, 1928, in Jacksonville, Florida to Raymond and Marie Reilly. The Reilly family moved back to Marie’s hometown of Little Falls, Minnesota shortly after the Great Depression began, and it was there that Mr. Reilly grew up with his sister Mary, and brothers Ray “Bud” and Louie. In Little Falls, the Reilly siblings were surrounded by loving cousins from the Randall and Stiegel families. Upon graduation from Little Falls High School, and while still a seventeen-year-old, Mr. Reilly enlisted and proudly served in the United States Navy. Following his honorable service, he attended St. Thomas College and then began a 17-year career as an insurance underwriter. While working in Cedar Rapids he met and subsequently fell in love with Martina McDonald, and they were married on October 12, 1957. After brief stops in Illinois and Iowa, Mr. Reilly was transferred to Topeka in May of 1963, and it was there Martina and he raised their six children, residing in the same home for all of his 61 years in Topeka. While in Topeka and shortly before the birth of his last child, Mr. Reilly lost his central vision to a rare eye disease. Being legally blind and no longer able to drive, Mr. Reilly switched careers and spent 24 years working for the VA Hospital. Mr. Reilly supported multiple youth sports in Topeka. Among those was the Capital City Youth Basketball League, that he cofounded with his good friend Bob Turgeon. He was a past president of the Sunflower Optimists, 1752 Club, CYO, and Most Pure Heart of Mary School Board and was a member of the Knights of Columbus and Elks Club. Mr. Reilly was a lifelong devout Catholic and because of that, each of his children were the beneficiaries of 12 years of Catholic education. He was an avid fan of the Minnesota Gophers, Vikings, and Twins, much to the chagrin of his enlightened family members. He lived his life in a way that exemplified character, humility, loyalty, integrity, compassion, honesty, and was a fierce defender of the less fortunate. The Reilly family has been blessed to spend their lifetime in his company. Mr. Reilly is survived by his wife of 67 years, Martina; his children, Tom, Anne (Ron), Jim, Rob (Traci), Mary, Paul (Vanessa); grandchildren, Adam, Conor (Rhyanna), Jenna (Colin), Nathan (Jacque), Luke (Erika), Ryan, Brigid, Mike (Grace), and Jordan; great-grandchildren, Lincoln, Maye, Penny, and two more due in early 2025; and his beloved sisters-in-law, Sally Reilly, Bernadette Reilly, and Betty Naylor. He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings; brothers-in-law, Leo McDonald, Dennis McDonald, Richard Tjaden, Jerry Naylor, and Len Super; and sisters-in-law, Margaret Murphy, and Kathleen Tjaden. Rosary will be prayed at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, January 11, 2025, at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 3601 SW 17th Street, Topeka KS 66604, where Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Phillip J. Reilly Memorial Scholarship Fund at Hayden Catholic High School Foundation, 401 SW Gage Boulevard, Topeka KS 66606. Mr. Reilly's Funeral Mass will be live-streamed on the funeral home's Facebook page, you can follow this link. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063672125244 Condolences may be sent online to www.kevinbrennanfamily.com The Reilly family recognizes the various caregivers that have provided loving support to our Dad, and we are forever in your debt. You are saints on earth.

Phillip Reilly

August 10, 1928 - December 31, 2024