Father Joseph F. O’Reilly Jr. died April 5, just days before the 67th anniversary of his ordination as a priest for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. He was 93 years old.

Born Dec. 17, 1922, he was the son of Joseph and Frances (Reiss) O’Reilly. He was ordained at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on April 17, 1949, by Bishop William A. O’Connor.

For his first assignment, Father O’Reilly served as assistant at Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Collinsville. He served briefly as chaplain at St. Joseph Hospital in Highland and then three years as assistant at St. Mary Parish in Quincy. He returned to hospital ministry as chaplain at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield from 1956-1959.

He was then named pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Quincy, where he served from 1959 to 1966. For the next 10 years he served as pastor of two parishes, St. Mary of the Assumption in Ste. Marie and St. Valentine in The Bend. His last assignment was at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Carrollton where he was pastor from 1976-1992.

Father O’Reilly retired in 1992 and lived many years in Jacksonville where he celebrated Mass at Our Saviour Parish and filled in at other diocesan parishes. He had been residing at Villa Health Care West in Sherman before he was moved to hospice care at Holy Family Villa in Palos Park, shortly before he passed away there.

Father O’Reilly was known for his good sense of humor and for his long-time hobby as a ham radio operator (W9UFL). He enjoyed conversing with others over the radio for over 50 years and was a member of the Jacksonville Radio Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Margaret M. (the late Clifford) Eby. He is survived by his brother John H. (Rosemary) O’Reilly and 11 nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on April 11 at St. Mary Church in Mokena. He was interred at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Hillside. Vandenberg Funeral Home in Mokena was in charge of arrangements.