Obituaries

Dennis J. Reilly Jr.Navy Chief Petty Officer

Dennis J. Reilly Jr., 87, a retired Navy chief petty officer who spent more than 20 years as a safety inspector and engineer for Savoy Construction Co., died of cardiogenic shock March 15 at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda.

Mr. Reilly served 26 years in the Navy until retiring in 1962. During the Korean War, he received the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V" for his service on the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard as a chief aviation machinist mate.

He later studied military justice and law, and his final active-duty assignment was at Patuxent River Naval Air Station as a special investigator on security matters.

He worked for Savoy Construction from the mid-1960s to late 1980s.

Dennis Joseph Reilly Jr. was a native Washingtonian and a 1937 graduate of Gonzaga College High School. He attended Montgomery College on the G.I. Bill after World War II.

He had been a volunteer with Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad since the late 1950s. He was secretary-treasurer of the rescue squad alumni group for the last 25 years.

He was a former president of an American Legion post in Bethesda, his city of residence, and his memberships included Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Bethesda, the Knights of Columbus and the Izaak Walton League conservation group.

He earned a pilot's license at 16 and later flew gliders. He enjoyed studying engineering and mathematics.

Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Martha O'Neil Reilly of Bethesda; seven children, retired Army Maj. Denise R. Mitcham of Annandale, retired Navy Cmdr. Dennis J. Reilly III of Merritt Island, Fla., James E. Reilly of Gaithersburg, Barbara A. Scruggs of Belmont, N.C., Mary K. Krivda of Kensington, John F. Reilly of Olney and Rosemary M. Seminario of Rockville; 24 grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

-- Adam Bernstein