Obituary of Rose Mary Reilly

Rose Mary (Thurin) Reilly died peacefully on Saturday, March 15, 2025 after a short illness.  She was predeceased by her husband James P. Reilly, and is survived by her eight children Jeanne McCusker of Simsbury Ct, Michael Reilly (Donna Moore) of Morristown NJ, Claire Zuravnsky (Alexander) of Venice FL, James Reilly (Debra) of Bernardsville NJ, Matthew Reilly (Maureen) of Allentown NJ, Thomas Reilly of Toms River NJ, Rosemary Salvia of Beach Haven NJ and Ellen Privett (William) of East Stroudsburg PA. She is also survived by twenty grandchildren and their spouses and partners, and fourteen great grandchildren.  She was predeceased by her sons-in-law Stephen McCusker and Philip Salvia, and her daughters-in- law Loretta Webster Reilly and Christine Enright Reilly; with them she enjoyed a loving and happy relationship.

Born in Kingston NY, Rose Mary was raised by her parents Georgine Holt Thurin and Harry Thurin in West New York NJ, graduating from Saint Joseph’s High School in West New York.  She attended Holy Name Hospital School of Nursing in Teaneck NJ earning her nursing diploma. She then worked as a Registered Nurse on the Infants nursery staff at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in NYC.  When Rose Mary retired from nursing, she was the Assistant Director of Nurses for the Jewish Home & Rehabilitation Center in Jersey City.

She was proud of her more than 50-year participation as a subject of the landmark Nurses’ Health Study, managed by the Chan School of Medicine at Harvard and the Brigham and Young Medical Center. 

Rose Mary and her husband James lived in Jersey City NJ where she took great joy in raising her children and being an active communicant in St. Paul’s and Our Lady of Mercy’s parishes.  They moved to Manahawkin NJ where she and her husband were communicants and worked with “Ken’s Kitchen” of Saint Mary’s parish serving meals to the homebound elderly in the Stafford Township NJ area.

Throughout her life Rose Mary felt that her greatest contribution and joy was to be a mother.  Her best times were when surrounded by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She will be greatly missed.

Visitation hours will be on Friday, March 21, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Gallaway & Crane, 101 South Finley Avenue in Basking Ridge NJ.  Mass will be on Saturday, March 22 at 12:30 pm. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 111 Claremont Road in Bernardsville NJ. 

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Green Visions Inc. of Randolph NJ, or St. Jude Children's Hospital.