CHRISTINE REILLY

REILLY--Christine S.

The poet Byron said, "She walks in beauty." And indeed so Christine did, all of her life. She made beauty in her early work in children's book publishing and on the Children's Book Council. She brought beauty to her skillful work on the board of, and later chair of, the Legal Aid Society, her board work for Plays for Living, and her many contributions to the building where she and her husband have lived for thirty five years. In later years she expertly learned all the complex ways of New York real estate, helping buyers and sellers negotiate the purchase and sale of their homes with energy, beauty, and patience, often making new friends in the process. But Christine also lived beauty in her daily life in New York which she loved with a passion. She knew the city inside and out. She knew where to eat, what plays and films to see, what museum exhibits she could not miss, what poetry readings. Every day, despite the ravages of her long and much hidden health issues, she dressed with elegant beauty. When the day was over, she would come back to cook the most splendid meals for her and her husband, setting her table carefully with silver and flowers. Every year she held a tea party for the women and children she knew, a tradition that up until last year extended for generations. She brought delicious baked goods to her neighbors and to her doctors. She kept up a voluminous correspondence with her friends of many years. She traveled widely including to Scandinavia and Corsica to visit godchildren and friends. She walked in beauty, a beauty she offered with her loving smile to all of us. Visitation will be on Thursday 3pm-5pm and 7pm-9pm at Frank E Campbell "The Funeral Chapel," 81st St. and Madison Ave. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Thomas More on Friday at 10:30am, 65 East 89th St. (between Madison and Park). Interment to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Valhalla, NY.