Edward J. O'Reilly, Jr.

Edward J. O'Reilly, Jr.

Edward J. O'Reilly, Jr., Ph.D., 86, of Grand Forks, ND passed away at sea Saturday, November 24, 2012.

Edward Joseph O’Reilly, Jr. was born August 21, 1926 in Brooklyn, NY the son of Edward Joseph, Sr. and Bertha (Schierloh) O’Reilly. He grew up in Queens, New York and attended Public School 136 in Queens, later attending St. Johns’ Preparatory School in Brooklyn, New York where he was graduated in 1944. He began his college education at St. John‘s University in Brooklyn before entering the United States Navy during World War II. He served in the Pacific as an ET-3 electronics Technician. He returned to St. John’s where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry in 1948. During the fall of 1948, he began graduate studies at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. During the years 1951 to 1952, he served as an assistant instructor at the Waterbury Branch of the University of Connecticut. He received his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Connecticut at Storrs in 1953.

During the years of 1952 to 1954, he was employed as a chemical Analyst with the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) of the United States Government in Washington, D.C. He then returned to the University of Connecticut at Storrs where he served as an assistant professor of Chemistry during the academic year 1954 to 1955. In the fall of 1955, he came to the University of North Dakota to teach in the Chemistry Department, where he subsequently taught for 38 years before retiring in 1993. For a number of years, Dr. O’Reilly taught night classes at the Grand Forks Air Force Base and also taught in the summer school In-Med Program on the campus of the University of North Dakota.

Edward married Jean Ann Carpenter on November 29, 1952 in Richmond Hill, NY. She preceded him in death on August 28, 1987. Edward married Diana (Day) Deats on June 30, 1988 in Grand Forks, ND.

For a number of years, he was active with the Grand Forks branch of the Civil Patrol. During the years of 1955 to 1988, he was a member of St. Michael’s Parish. Since 1988, he has been a member of Holy Family Parish where he has been involved in various committees, a Eucharistic Minister, home and hospital visitor and active in the Holy Family Knights of Columbus Council. He was a longtime member of the American Chemical Society and an active member of the International Dinner Club and St. Anne’s Guest Home volunteer.

He is survived by his wife Diana Deats-O’Reilly, Grand Forks, ND; sons, Edward Joseph O’Reilly, III, Colorado Springs, CO, The Rev. Timothy (Wilma) O’Reilly, Ordway, CO, Kevin Patrick (Rui) O’Reilly; Happy Valley, OR; daughters, Alianna “Maureen” Maren, McLean VA, Ann Marie (Steve) McNeil; Algonquin, IL; grandchildren, Rachel O’Reilly, Colorado Springs, CO, Mao (Aaron) Ong, Vancouver, WA, Cassandra Riley, Chicago, IL, Sean McNeil, Algonquin, IL, Edward Julius O’Reilly, Angela Ruth O’Reilly, Samuel Isaac O’Reilly, all of Ordway, CO; great-grandchildren, Jamison McNeil, Algonquin, IL, Samantha Martinez, Emileo Martinez, both of Chicago, IL; Aiden Rily, Chicago, IL: step children, Kim Deats, Wichita, KS, Lanai Deats, Grand Forks, ND, Stewart (Janet)Deats, Flagstaff, AZ; step-grandchildren, Gabriel Elias Figueroa, Thomas Figueroa, both of Grand Forks, ND; brothers, Francis (Helen) O’Reilly, Ardsley, NY, Vincent (Tamiko) O’Reilly, Mahopac, NY; sisters, Patricia LeClerq, Poughkeepsie, NY and Maureen O’Reilly, Plymouth, MA.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Jean Ann Carpenter O’Reilly; an infant son, James Isacc O’Reilly and his parents.

Memorial Mass: 1:00 p.m. Monday, December 3, 2012 in Holy Family Catholic Church, Grand Forks, ND.

Vigil Service: 2:00 p.m. Sunday, December 2, 2012 in Holy Family Catholic Church.

Burial: At a Later Date.

Military Honors: Members of the American Legion Post 157, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3817 and the North Dakota National Guard.

The online memorial registry may be signed at www.normanfuneral.com

(The Historic Norman Funeral Home, Grand Forks, ND)

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