Walter Jay Reedy

Born in Long Beach, California, he was the son of the late Walter E. and Ella M. (Picha) Reedy.

Jay grew up in Milwaukee, WI, where he became an avid Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Braves (and then later Brewers) fan. He earned a B.A. and an M.A. in History at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In 1976, he was awarded a Ph.D. in European Intellectual History from the University of California-Santa Barbara. From 1978 through 1989, Jay was a European history professor at North Dakota State University. Then after spending a year at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, he accepted a position at Bryant University in 1990, where he served as a history professor for almost 25 years.

Jay loved to travel, particularly in Europe and the American Southwest. He was a wonderful (and well-informed) travel companion. He was also an inveterate punster.

In addition to his wife of 48 years, Diane, he leaves behind a large collection of history, philosophy and political theory books and a couple of thousand classical CDs.

His funeral and burial were private.

For online tributes, please visit www.pontarellimarinofunerals.com.