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Richard "Dick" Reilly, 77

| August 25, 2023 12:00 AM

Dick died peacefully on August 16, 2023, at Logan Health Center in Whitefish due to natural causes. He was born April 9, 1946, in Great Falls, Montana, to Earl J. Reilly and Ada (O'Neill) Reilly.

He was the eldest of three children born to the couple. His early childhood was lived in and around Lewistown, Montana, and he recalled this time fondly. Most children at the time had either a pet dog or cat, Dick and his brothers had a pet deer. When Dick got older, his family moved to Anaconda, Montana, where he graduated high school.

After high school, he attended Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, as an Education major. He left MSU and enlisted in the US Army where he spent two years

stationed in Germany. After an honorable discharge, he joined the Montana National guard and worked as a union carpenter in construction. In 1974, he married Barbara Jasmin and had two children. They later divorced.

In the early 80’s, he changed careers and began working for the State of Montana Highway Department as a Right of Way agent until retirement. In 1994, he met and began a relationship with Isaura "Sally" Hanley.

Dick and Sally loved to travel, they would spend their weekends at a cabin on Flathead Lake and vacations traveling abroad. When he retired from work, they became snowbirds, traveling to warmer weather in their RV for the winter and returning home to Missoula, to enjoy the Montana summers.

They eventually decided to buy a little place in Yuma, Arizona, and would make it their winter residence. They continued to be snowbirds together until sadly, Sally lost her battle with cancer in 2014.

Dick continued to split the year between Yuma, and Whitefish, for another seven years until health issues forced him to give up travel. The last few years his health began to decline forcing him to stay in Whitefish, and finally Columbia Falls.

He is survived by his brothers, and their families. He is also survived by his two children; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

A memorial for Dick will take place at the Lawrence Park Pavilion in Kalispell, on Sun., Sept. 3, 2023. The memorial will begin at 12 p.m., friends and family are encouraged to come. There will be a lite luncheon provided.