Larry “The Riles” Reilley passed away peacefully at home, in Oak View, California on Sunday October 25, 2020.
Lawrence was born in San Francisco to Betty Coyne and Robert “Bud” Reilley, and was raised in Chico, California. He graduated from Pleasant Valley High School in 1970 and attended Chico State University. Larry played and coached with the Chico Rugby Club from 1970 until he left Chico in 1980. Larry fished commercially in Alaska during salmon and king crab season. In 1981 he married Kathleen Doud and they moved to Pacific Grove, where he fished squid in Monterey Bay. In 1989, he joined Doud Insurance, moving their family to Oxnard. Larry soon became a partner in what is now Austin, Reilley and Doud Insurance.
Larry and Kathleen settled in Oak View, Ca. and raised their four children: Seamus, Patrick, Kaitlin, and Charlie. Larry loved his community. He was a supporter and board member of C.R.E.W. (Concerned Resource & Environmental Workers), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the Rancheros Adolfo of Ventura County, Oxnard Elks Lodge, Rotary Club of Oxnard, and proudly served on the Board of Regents of Thomas Aquinas College. He was also a father figure to all of his children’s friends, especially after the death of his beloved sons, Patrick in 2012 and Seamus in 2013.
Larry was known as Larry Love. His sole purpose was to spread love and to be a source of joy for his large Irish Clan, his nieces and nephews, his friends and any stranger he met. He loved gourmet cooking for anyone who stopped by his home. At the end of every conversation, Larry would emphasize “Life is good. I love you. God Bless.”
In addition to his sons, Larry was predeceased by his three brothers, Robert, Patrick and Michael Reilley. He is survived by his two children and his former wife Kathleen. He also leaves behind two sisters Terry Westlake of Chico and Bonnie Walker of Folsom, Ca, dozens of nieces and nephews and hundreds of cousins.
Services will be held when Covid restrictions are lifted.
In lieu of flowers, a gift can be made to the student scholarship fund at Thomas Aquinas College in honor of Larry Reilley.