John H. O'Reilly

John Henry O'Reilly, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather passed away peacefully in his Mokena, Illinois, home on November 12, 2024, at the age of 98. Born on September 13, 1926, John lived a life marked by deep faith, a strong family, a passion for education, and generosity to others.

John is survived by Rosemary, his wife of over 70 years and their children, Mary Sue Dailey (Joe), Nancy Gazdziak (Jim), Joe (Hideko), Jim (Andrea), Ed (Judy), Carol Winfrey (Mike), Ellen Beatty (Randy), and Cathy Funston (Reid), who carry forward his legacy of compassion, integrity, and humor. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
John took great pride in being a grandfather to 22 grandchildren, each of whom he adored: Lisa, Mike, Ryan, Erin, Kevin, Katie, Andrew, Matthew, Nana, Miki, Caroline, Tim, Catherine, Sara, Fiona, Jenna, Alicia, Christine, Reid, Will, Grace, and Sidney. He was a great-grandfather to 14, including the late Finnegan Cooper Jinkins, whose memory remains close to his heart. John's grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the light of his later years, and he cherished each moment with them.

Joyfully greeting John as he entered eternal life were his parents, Joseph and Frances O’Reilly, his brother Rev. Joseph O’Reilly, his sister Margaret Eby and her husband Cliff, their infant daughter Sheila, and his great grandson Finn.

John attended DePaul Academy in Chicago, and after serving in the Navy in World War II building radar applications, attended the University of Notre Dame where he studied chemical engineering and had a lifelong career with Northern Illinois Gas. He was a skilled woodworker and created beautiful gifts for his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed a long and happy retirement, traveling and spending time with his beloved wife and large family.

A man of strong values, John will be remembered for his kindness, wit, and loyalty. His faith and generosity were the foundations upon which he built a life of profound impact through involvement in his communities at St Mary Catholic Church and Providence Catholic High School, in his volunteer work with the Knights of Columbus, and PADs and the support of many charitable organizations.

Visitation Wednesday, November 20, 2024, 3:00-8:00 pm at Vandenberg Funeral Home, 19604 S. Wolf Road, Mokena, IL. Family remarks and eulogy at 6:00PM.
Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, November 21st at 10:00 am at St. Mary Catholic Church 19515 115th Ave, Mokena, IL. Final resting place St. Mary Cemetery, 195th St. and Wolf Road, Mokena, IL.

Memorials are appreciated to the Catholic Education Foundation of the Diocese of Joliet( https://www.cefjoliet.org/cef-board-members ) https://www.cefjoliet.org/get-involved/donate or to Gigi’s Playhouse, a national organization supporting individuals with Down syndrome ( https://gigisplayhouse.org/hoffmanestates/ ).