Beverly, Edward S. Reilly, retired Master Sargent, USMC, age 92, died Friday, June 17, 2011 at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. He was the husband of the late Louise E. (Dumas) Reilly, with whom he had shared 67 years of marriage.
Born in Brockton, he was the son of the late Edward F. and Frances R. (Sylvester) Reillly. He was brought up in North Easton, MA and graduated from the Oliver Ames High School in 1937. From high school, Ed entered the U.S. Marine Corps and served his country for 20 consecutive years. He fought in W.W. II and the Korean Conflict. Ed fought at Guadalcanal with the 1st Marine Division, and at Rendova and New Georgia in the Solomon Islands. He also fought at Guam in the Mariana Islands with the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade, returning to the States in December of 1944.
In between wars, he served with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. With the onset of the Korean Conflict, he served with 1st Marine Division in the landing at Inchon, Korea, in the liberation of Seoul, Korea and the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. He later received multiple wounds from a land mine and was evacuated to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, Japan and later transferred to the States.
Ed served at Paris Island, S. Carolina and then the Boston Navy Yard. He was transferred to the Retired Reserves after 20 years of active service and retired as Sargent Major.
As a civilian, he worked for Cannon Electric in Salem and Transitron Co. in Wakefield, until his retirement in 1983.
He is survived by 3 sons, James E. Reilly and his wife Cheryl of Eden Prairie, MN, John M. Reilly and his wife Lesley of Falmouth, David M Reilly and his wife Marsha, of Colchester, CT, as well as 7 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. His 4th son Philip J. Reilly passed away in May of 2003.
Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the Levesque Funeral Home, 163 Lafayette St. [Rt. 114 / 1-A] Salem on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 8 A.M. to be followed by his funeral mass in Ste. Anne Church, Jefferson Ave., Salem at 9 A.M. Burial will follow in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne at 1 P.M. Visiting hours are Tuesday 3 to 5 P.M. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B102, Danvers, MA 01923. For additional information and guestbook please visit www.LevesqueFunerals.com