Kevin M. Reilly of East Syracuse passed away on January 15, 2014 from complications related to Parkinson's disease. He was 75.
Life was good to Kevin Reilly. Born to working-class Irish immigrants in the Bronx, Kevin's hard work, big heart, and sharp intellect ultimately made him a successful local attorney, a revered member of the community, and, above all, a loving and committed family man. Known for his keen wit, Kevin was always quick with a joke, a song, or a kind word, as the situation demanded.
Kevin's greatest accomplishments were as a husband and father. He is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, of East Syracuse. Like everything he did in life, Kevin took the job of being a father seriously and was a caring and involved father to his two children. He is survived by his daughter, son-in-law and step-granddaughter, of McAllen, Texas; as well as his son, daughter-in-law, grandson and granddaughter,(born after Kevin passed away) of Chicago, Illinois.
Kevin was predeceased by his parents, Walter and Agnes (Connolly) Reilly; brother, Fr. Walter Reilly; and sister, Nancy Feeney Barnett. He was a devoted uncle of many nieces and nephews.
To Kevin, education was the key to the American dream. He graduated from Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx before attending LeMoyne College in Syracuse on an academic scholarship. He graduated from LeMoyne in 1960 with a degree in English. Kevin returned to New York City and worked three jobs to pay his way through Fordham Law School, from which he graduated with a J.D. in 1963. Kevin was a loyal and active alumnus of all three schools. He was a member of the Board of Regents of his beloved LeMoyne and president of LeMoyne's alumni association. In 2005, he was honored with LeMoyne's Ignatian Award for service to the college.
Kevin was proud to be an attorney, treating it as a profession not a job and bristling at sleazy lawyer jokes. Immediately after law school, he joined the Syracuse law firm now known as Mackenzie Hughes. He remained at Mackenzie for over 36 years, rising to chair of the litigation department and retiring as a partner in 1999. He was a trial lawyer in state and federal court, handling diverse matters ranging from labor and employment to negligence and contractual disputes to human rights law. Kevin earned praise from his colleagues for his mentorship of Mackenzie's young lawyers. An active member of the local and state bar, Kevin served as President of the Onondaga County Bar Association in 1992 and was a member of the New York State Bar Association House of Delegates.
Aside from his family and his profession, Kevin's three passions in life were politics, Ireland and sports. Kevin was active in local Democratic politics, managing a Congressional campaign and serving as Counsel to the Judiciary Committee at the 1967 New York State Constitutional Convention. He had a lifelong love of his parent's homeland, visiting Ireland on several occasions and reading voraciously about Irish history and culture. Kevin was active in several local Irish organizations, including the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Project Children, and the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day parade, of which he was a co-founder. Kevin beamed with pride when, in 1992, he was chosen as Grand Marshall of the St. Patrick's Day parade.
He was also a friend of Bill's for over 30 years.
Finally, Kevin was a fan of his childhood team, the New York Yankees, and his adopted teams, Syracuse University football and basketball.
A memorial Mass will be held to celebrate the life of Kevin Reilly on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 11 a.m. at Holy Cross Church, 4112 E. Genesee St., DeWitt.
Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, January 24, 2014 at Eaton-Tubbs Fayetteville Chapel, 7191 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Kevin's memory to Project Children. c/o Kathleen Kelly, 6715 Buckley Rd., North Syracuse, NY 13212.
Life was good to Kevin Reilly. Born to working-class Irish immigrants in the Bronx, Kevin's hard work, big heart, and sharp intellect ultimately made him a successful local attorney, a revered member of the community, and, above all, a loving and committed family man. Known for his keen wit, Kevin was always quick with a joke, a song, or a kind word, as the situation demanded.
Kevin's greatest accomplishments were as a husband and father. He is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, of East Syracuse. Like everything he did in life, Kevin took the job of being a father seriously and was a caring and involved father to his two children. He is survived by his daughter, son-in-law and step-granddaughter, of McAllen, Texas; as well as his son, daughter-in-law, grandson and granddaughter,(born after Kevin passed away) of Chicago, Illinois.
Kevin was predeceased by his parents, Walter and Agnes (Connolly) Reilly; brother, Fr. Walter Reilly; and sister, Nancy Feeney Barnett. He was a devoted uncle of many nieces and nephews.
To Kevin, education was the key to the American dream. He graduated from Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx before attending LeMoyne College in Syracuse on an academic scholarship. He graduated from LeMoyne in 1960 with a degree in English. Kevin returned to New York City and worked three jobs to pay his way through Fordham Law School, from which he graduated with a J.D. in 1963. Kevin was a loyal and active alumnus of all three schools. He was a member of the Board of Regents of his beloved LeMoyne and president of LeMoyne's alumni association. In 2005, he was honored with LeMoyne's Ignatian Award for service to the college.
Kevin was proud to be an attorney, treating it as a profession not a job and bristling at sleazy lawyer jokes. Immediately after law school, he joined the Syracuse law firm now known as Mackenzie Hughes. He remained at Mackenzie for over 36 years, rising to chair of the litigation department and retiring as a partner in 1999. He was a trial lawyer in state and federal court, handling diverse matters ranging from labor and employment to negligence and contractual disputes to human rights law. Kevin earned praise from his colleagues for his mentorship of Mackenzie's young lawyers. An active member of the local and state bar, Kevin served as President of the Onondaga County Bar Association in 1992 and was a member of the New York State Bar Association House of Delegates.
Aside from his family and his profession, Kevin's three passions in life were politics, Ireland and sports. Kevin was active in local Democratic politics, managing a Congressional campaign and serving as Counsel to the Judiciary Committee at the 1967 New York State Constitutional Convention. He had a lifelong love of his parent's homeland, visiting Ireland on several occasions and reading voraciously about Irish history and culture. Kevin was active in several local Irish organizations, including the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Project Children, and the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day parade, of which he was a co-founder. Kevin beamed with pride when, in 1992, he was chosen as Grand Marshall of the St. Patrick's Day parade.
He was also a friend of Bill's for over 30 years.
Finally, Kevin was a fan of his childhood team, the New York Yankees, and his adopted teams, Syracuse University football and basketball.
A memorial Mass will be held to celebrate the life of Kevin Reilly on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 11 a.m. at Holy Cross Church, 4112 E. Genesee St., DeWitt.
Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, January 24, 2014 at Eaton-Tubbs Fayetteville Chapel, 7191 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Kevin's memory to Project Children. c/o Kathleen Kelly, 6715 Buckley Rd., North Syracuse, NY 13212.
Kevin M. Reilly of East Syracuse passed away on January 15, 2014 from complications related to Parkinson's disease. He was 75.
Life was good to Kevin Reilly. Born to working-class Irish immigrants in the Bronx, Kevin's hard work, big heart, and sharp intellect ultimately made him a successful local attorney, a revered member of the community, and, above all, a loving and committed family man. Known for his keen wit, Kevin was always quick with a joke, a song, or a kind word, as the situation demanded.
Kevin's greatest accomplishments were as a husband and father. He is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, of East Syracuse. Like everything he did in life, Kevin took the job of being a father seriously and was a caring and involved father to his two children. He is survived by his daughter, son-in-law and step-granddaughter, of McAllen, Texas; as well as his son, daughter-in-law, grandson and granddaughter,(born after Kevin passed away) of Chicago, Illinois.
Kevin was predeceased by his parents, Walter and Agnes (Connolly) Reilly; brother, Fr. Walter Reilly; and sister, Nancy Feeney Barnett. He was a devoted uncle of many nieces and nephews.
To Kevin, education was the key to the American dream. He graduated from Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx before attending LeMoyne College in Syracuse on an academic scholarship. He graduated from LeMoyne in 1960 with a degree in English. Kevin returned to New York City and worked three jobs to pay his way through Fordham Law School, from which he graduated with a J.D. in 1963. Kevin was a loyal and active alumnus of all three schools. He was a member of the Board of Regents of his beloved LeMoyne and president of LeMoyne's alumni association. In 2005, he was honored with LeMoyne's Ignatian Award for service to the college.
Kevin was proud to be an attorney, treating it as a profession not a job and bristling at sleazy lawyer jokes. Immediately after law school, he joined the Syracuse law firm now known as Mackenzie Hughes. He remained at Mackenzie for over 36 years, rising to chair of the litigation department and retiring as a partner in 1999. He was a trial lawyer in state and federal court, handling diverse matters ranging from labor and employment to negligence and contractual disputes to human rights law. Kevin earned praise from his colleagues for his mentorship of Mackenzie's young lawyers. An active member of the local and state bar, Kevin served as President of the Onondaga County Bar Association in 1992 and was a member of the New York State Bar Association House of Delegates.
Aside from his family and his profession, Kevin's three passions in life were politics, Ireland and sports. Kevin was active in local Democratic politics, managing a Congressional campaign and serving as Counsel to the Judiciary Committee at the 1967 New York State Constitutional Convention. He had a lifelong love of his parent's homeland, visiting Ireland on several occasions and reading voraciously about Irish history and culture. Kevin was active in several local Irish organizations, including the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Project Children, and the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day parade, of which he was a co-founder. Kevin beamed with pride when, in 1992, he was chosen as Grand Marshall of the St. Patrick's Day parade.
He was also a friend of Bill's for over 30 years.
Finally, Kevin was a fan of his childhood team, the New York Yankees, and his adopted teams, Syracuse University football and basketball.
A memorial Mass will be held to celebrate the life of Kevin Reilly on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 11 a.m. at Holy Cross Church, 4112 E. Genesee St., DeWitt.
Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, January 24, 2014 at Eaton-Tubbs Fayetteville Chapel, 7191 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Kevin's memory to Project Children. c/o Kathleen Kelly, 6715 Buckley Rd., North Syracuse, NY 13212.
Life was good to Kevin Reilly. Born to working-class Irish immigrants in the Bronx, Kevin's hard work, big heart, and sharp intellect ultimately made him a successful local attorney, a revered member of the community, and, above all, a loving and committed family man. Known for his keen wit, Kevin was always quick with a joke, a song, or a kind word, as the situation demanded.
Kevin's greatest accomplishments were as a husband and father. He is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, of East Syracuse. Like everything he did in life, Kevin took the job of being a father seriously and was a caring and involved father to his two children. He is survived by his daughter, son-in-law and step-granddaughter, of McAllen, Texas; as well as his son, daughter-in-law, grandson and granddaughter,(born after Kevin passed away) of Chicago, Illinois.
Kevin was predeceased by his parents, Walter and Agnes (Connolly) Reilly; brother, Fr. Walter Reilly; and sister, Nancy Feeney Barnett. He was a devoted uncle of many nieces and nephews.
To Kevin, education was the key to the American dream. He graduated from Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx before attending LeMoyne College in Syracuse on an academic scholarship. He graduated from LeMoyne in 1960 with a degree in English. Kevin returned to New York City and worked three jobs to pay his way through Fordham Law School, from which he graduated with a J.D. in 1963. Kevin was a loyal and active alumnus of all three schools. He was a member of the Board of Regents of his beloved LeMoyne and president of LeMoyne's alumni association. In 2005, he was honored with LeMoyne's Ignatian Award for service to the college.
Kevin was proud to be an attorney, treating it as a profession not a job and bristling at sleazy lawyer jokes. Immediately after law school, he joined the Syracuse law firm now known as Mackenzie Hughes. He remained at Mackenzie for over 36 years, rising to chair of the litigation department and retiring as a partner in 1999. He was a trial lawyer in state and federal court, handling diverse matters ranging from labor and employment to negligence and contractual disputes to human rights law. Kevin earned praise from his colleagues for his mentorship of Mackenzie's young lawyers. An active member of the local and state bar, Kevin served as President of the Onondaga County Bar Association in 1992 and was a member of the New York State Bar Association House of Delegates.
Aside from his family and his profession, Kevin's three passions in life were politics, Ireland and sports. Kevin was active in local Democratic politics, managing a Congressional campaign and serving as Counsel to the Judiciary Committee at the 1967 New York State Constitutional Convention. He had a lifelong love of his parent's homeland, visiting Ireland on several occasions and reading voraciously about Irish history and culture. Kevin was active in several local Irish organizations, including the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Project Children, and the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day parade, of which he was a co-founder. Kevin beamed with pride when, in 1992, he was chosen as Grand Marshall of the St. Patrick's Day parade.
He was also a friend of Bill's for over 30 years.
Finally, Kevin was a fan of his childhood team, the New York Yankees, and his adopted teams, Syracuse University football and basketball.
A memorial Mass will be held to celebrate the life of Kevin Reilly on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 11 a.m. at Holy Cross Church, 4112 E. Genesee St., DeWitt.
Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, January 24, 2014 at Eaton-Tubbs Fayetteville Chapel, 7191 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Kevin's memory to Project Children. c/o Kathleen Kelly, 6715 Buckley Rd., North Syracuse, NY 13212.
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