MICHAEL REILLY

1930 - 2019

REILLY Michael Joseph Reilly Beloved and respected physician, community advocate, church volunteer, gardener extraordinaire, friend, and neighbor, passed away Saturday, March 23, 2019 at his home in Falls Church, Virginia. Dr. Reilly was born May 3, 1930, in Rockford, Illinois. He completed both his undergraduate degree (1952) and his medical degree (1956) from Georgetown University. Following his internship and residency in internal medicine at Georgetown, he served for two years in the United States Air Force, stationed in the United Kingdom. Following his years in the service, he returned to the Washington, DC area and completed a pulmonology fellowship at Georgetown. While establishing a successful internal medicine practice in McLean, Virginia, he also served as a staff physican at the Arlington Hospital, also known as the Virginia Hospital Center. He was involved in establishing the first comprehensive pulmonary care service at the hospital and served as one of its first directors. Upon his retirement from private practice in the early 1990s, Dr. Reilly became immersed in establishing and working in a medical clinic for the underserved in the District of Columbia, now know as Bread For the City (BFTC). In addition to providing medical care and mentoring numerous medical students, residents, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, he served on the board of BFTC for many years. He was active in its fund raising events, especially "Art For the Heart," an annual dinner and art auction fund raiser for the clinic. Many of Mike's friends, neighbors, and family members enjoyed attending the gala over the years, and Mike was in his element during these events, meeting, greeting, and completely enjoying himself. His obvious enthusiasm for the clinic was contagious. Mike was an avid gardener, maintaining a large garden on Long Island where he grew beautiful flower beds, a rose garden, fruit and flowering trees, and all varieties of vegetables. He generously provided garden vegetables to his many friends and neighbors. He was also involved in establishing rooftop vegetable gardens in the District through BFTC to provide fresh produce for the clinic patients and food bank recipients. Mike was a lover of the arts and enjoyed attending opera, theater, and get-togethers with his many friends and family. He was a decades-long member of his church, St. Aloysious Catholic Church, and later Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, and became very active in his later years in his church's Peacemeal Outreach, providing meals for the homeless in the District. A tireless advocate for those less fortunate, Mike lived his life simply, selflessly, generously, and with great integrity. He was the beloved brother of Mary Harrington, Anne Carriere, and the late John Reilly; beloved uncle of Anne Haas, Katie Harrington, Cathy Marsh, Joe Carriere, Liz Sleeper, Jennifer Parcell; Tom, Jim, Bob, John, and Vicki Reilly, and Margaret Vinson. A memorial service will be held at the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in the District on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow in the church social hall. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in his name to Bread For the City and/or Holy Reedemer Catholic Church.A memorial service will be held at the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in the District on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow in the church social hall. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in his name to Bread For the City and/or Holy Reedemer Catholic Church.