Paulette Reilly, formerly of Metuchen, N.J., died peacefully surrounded by family in San Antonio, TX on May 28th, 2020. One of three children born to French Canadian parents in New Bedford, Massachusetts, she is predeceased by her brother Gilbert Levesque who passed away in 1994 and survived by her younger brother Paul living in Virginia with wife Beverly.
Paulette graduated from Hunter College in New York City with a Nursing Degree. She worked at several Manhattan hospitals before taking a nursing assignment in Saudi Arabia, where she met and married Jay Reilly. After the birth of their first child in Saudi Arabia, Paulette and Jay moved back to the states where they had five more children.
Paulette is survived by her children, Vincent and his fiancée Rose Robinson residing in Tucson, AZ, Hayes and his wife Elyse residing in Berkeley Heights, NJ, Donald and wife Elizabeth reside in San Antonio, TX, Maria also resides in San Antonio, TX, Shelagh resides in East Windsor, NJ and George who resides in Princeton, NJ with his wife Ann. Paulette was also blessed with sixteen grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Paulette had a zest for life with her charm, beauty, wit, intelligence and tremendous style. She was also a superb athlete and some of you might have spotted her jogging in the early mornings in the streets of Metuchen. Paulette was very proud of her French Canadian roots and spoke the language fluently. She adored and appreciated art, music, foreign films, opera and literature. Paulette enjoyed entertaining friends and family and would love to sit in her backyard soaking up the sun and reading the New York Times.
As well rounded and well-read as she was, Paulette’s true love was raising her six children and being around her grandchildren and most recently her great grandchildren. She would light up when greeted by her grandchildren calling her “Memere,” the French equivalent of grandmother, a loving term her own children called their grandmother, Paulette’s mother Juliette.
Paulette had so much love and guidance to give anyone who needed it and was very generous with both. Paulette will be dearly missed by many, especially “The Reilly Six”.
Services will be held in Metuchen at a later date when family and friends are able to travel.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18