Obituary of Betty Reilly

Betty Jane Reilly, 78, of Amenia, passed away on Monday, June 15, 2009 at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT. A lifelong area resident, she retired in 1997 from Green Haven Correctional Facility where she was the Head of the Personnel Dept. She was a member of St. Denis Church in Hopewell Junction. She loved to read and do word puzzles. Born in Poughkeepsie on September 29, 1933, she was the daughter of Augustus and Marjorie Kellerhouse Merritt. She was a graduate of Poughkeepsie High School. In 1952, in Poughkeepsie, she married James A. Reilly, Jr. Her husband predeceased her. She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, James A. and Sandy Reilly III of Springhill, FL; Darryll and Robin Reilly of Poughkeepsie; Darren "DJ" and Judy Reilly of Amenia; Larry and Patricia Reilly of Poughkeepsie; daughter and son-inó law, Betsy and Dave Bathrick of Livingston; daughter, Darlene Chesky of Albany; son, Robert "Sparky" Reilly of LaGrangeville; her sister and brother-inlaw, Shirley and William Dougherty of Maine; daughter-inlaw, Lisa Reilly of Poughkeepsie; 24 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by three sons, Garry Reilly in 1963; Duane "Rip" Reilly in 1979 and Michael Reilly in 2009; a grandson, Griffin Bathrick in 1999; a brother, Buddy Merritt and her sisters, Doris Catucci and Joan Heffernan. Calling hours will be held on Thursday, June 18, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home Inc., 371 Hooker Ave., Poughkeepsie. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday at 10 a.m. at St. Columba Church. Burial will follow in St. Denis Cemetery, Beekman Road, Hopewell Junction.