Richard J. Reilly Jr. ’57

Richard J. Reilly Jr. ’57 passed away at his home in Teton County, Idaho, on May 14. Dick graduated from Scarsdale (New York) High School. At Dartmouth he was an English major and a member of Psi Upsilon, the Newman club four years, and Kappa Phi Kappa. He was class treasurer senior year and in the Undergraduate Council. He attended Columbia University business school and earned a master’s in public health. He married Gail, his hometown sweetheart, and they raised their family in South Salem, New York. Dick was a platform (“paddle”) court innovator who led the sport’s expansion from Westchester County, New York, beginning in the early 1960s. He built and serviced courts in 40 U.S. states and 16 countries, produced instructional videos, and operated camps in Montana and Wyoming. In 1974 he was inducted into the Platform Tennis Hall of Fame at the age of 39. He worked for the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation in New York City and focused on improving the health and lives of folks in the Appalachian region and Mississippi. Dick revived the Boy Scout program in Northern Westchester. He started and coached the local youth football program and revived the football program at the Wooster School in Danbury, Connecticut, as coach and business manager. His faith in God and strong values were a huge part of his character. Dick is survived by his wife, Gail; children Tammy, Jim, Kathy, and Janet; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.