Bernard J. Reilly Jr.

Bernard J. Reilly Jr., 85, entered into eternal rest on Monday, June 10 surrounded by his loving family. Bernard was born in Newark and lived in Union and New Providence before moving to Basking Ridge in 1998. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Summit Council # 783, the Summit Old Guard, a parishioner of Our lady of Peace Church in New Providence, and a proud veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served during WWII. Bernard was a Purchasing Agent for the Summit Trust Company in Cranford where he worked for ten years before retiring in 1994. He previously was employed at Catholic Community Services in Newark and the Newark Board of Education. While employed by the Newark Board of Education he received meritorious citations from the State Department of Education and awards from social agencies for his work on their behalf. Mr. Reilly authored a Monograph, “The Three Setonias”, a story about three P-51 WWII aircraft purchased by the students of Seton Hall Prep during WWII, and their pilots who flew combat missions in Europe and Burma.

Bernard was predeceased by his beloved wife of 61 years, Lois S. and his granddaughter Katie Elizabeth Poles. He is survived by his two daughters, Susan Naylor and her husband Craig, Kathleen Poles and her husband Ron, and his son Bernard John and his wife Ann. He also leaves behind his eight grandchildren, Megan Cohen, Lauren Cross, Rebecca Naylor, Theresa, Danielle, and Elizabeth Reilly, Ryan and Jennifer Poles; four great grand-children Ella, Jackson and Camden Poles, and Matthew Cohen, as well as his brother Paul Reilly and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Friday June 14 from 4-8 PM from the McCracken Funeral Home 1500 Morris Ave Union, NJ. Funeral is Saturday, June 15 at 8:30AM from the funeral home, with a funeral mass offered at 10 AM at Our Lady of Peace Church in New Providence, with interment to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Bernard’s name may be made to the V.N.A Hospice of Somerset Hills, 200 Mount Airy Rd. Basking Ridge NJ 07869, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN. 38105.